Most children now chat daily either online or through their mobile phones. They are connecting to a huge number of other children all over the world. Some are shy “in real life” but are confident to communicate with others online; others find support from people of their own age on relationship issues, or problems at home.
Sometimes the online world, just like the real world, can introduce problems, such as bullying or arguments. Going online is great fun, but there are also a few people who use the Internet for offensive (冒犯性的) or illegal aims. Children must be made aware of both the good things and the dangers.
To keep children safe your management must cover the family computer. Just as you decide which TV pro-grams are suitable, you need to do the same for the websites and chat rooms your children visit. Remind your children that online friends are still strangers. Re-minding them of the risks will keep them alert (警惕).
Computer studies are part of schoolwork now, so it’s likely that your children may know more than you do. We get left behind when it comes to the latest gad-gets and the interactive areas of websites, like chat rooms and message boards, which are especially strange. The language of chat is strange to many parents, too. Chatters love to use abbreviations (缩写) such as: atb — all the best, bbfn — bye bye for now, cul8er — see you later, gr8 — great, Idk — I don’t know, imbl — it must be love, kit — keep in touch, paw — parents are watching, lol — laugh out loud, xlnt — excellent!
It seems like another language, and it is!
【小题1】The passage is meant for ______.

A．children

B．parents

C．teachers

D．net bar owners

【小题2】Which of the following will the author probably agree with?

A．The Internet is not good for children.

B．The chat language is strange to adults.

C．Children shouldn’t chat so much online.

D．The Internet is a good place for children.

【小题3】The purpose of writing this passage is to advise ______.

A．people not to use the net language in real life

B．children not to meet online friends freely

C．teachers to have students study on computers

D．parents to protect their children from online dangers

【小题4】In order to keep children safe online, you’d better ______.

A．choose suitable websites and chat rooms for them

B．teach them to use correct net words

C．surf the Internet together with them

D．forbid them to use the Internet

【小题5】If you stand beside him when your son is chatting about something secret online, he may use ______.

A．bbfn

B．lol

C．paw

D．cul8er

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids but we made them worse. For my naughty boys, I’d know better. I’d really like for them to know about hand-me-down clothes and home-made ice cream and leftover meatloaf. I really would.
My cherished boys, I hope you learn humility (谦逊) by surviving failure and that you learn to be honest even when no one is looking. I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in. I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it is all right to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl (爬) under the covers (被子) with you because he’s scared, I hope you’ll let him. And when you want to see a Disney movie and your kid brother wants to tag along, I hope you take him.
　　I hope you have to walk uphill with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely. I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books, and when you learn to use computers, you also learn how to add and subtract (减) in your head.
May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on the stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole (旗杆). I hope you get sick when someone blows smoke in your face. I don’t care if you try beer once, but I hope you won’t like it.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your grandpa or go fishing with your uncle.
I hope your father punishes you when you throw a baseball through a neighbor’s window, and that your mother hugs you and kisses you when you give her a plaster of pared mold (一个石膏模型) of your hand.
　 These things I wish for you—tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness.
【小题1】Who wrote the letter?

A．A grandmother.

B．A grandfather.

C．A father.

D．A mother.

【小题2】What does the author hope for the boys?

A．they learn a lesson from a fight with others.

B．they know how to calculate with computers.

C．they get on well with family members..

D．they burn their hand on the stove and stick their tongue on a frozen flagpole.

【小题3】It can be inferred from the text that the boys _________________.

A．often fight with others	B．are to develop good qualities
C．always keep their grandpa company	D．score high in the exam

【小题4】 Why does the author write the letter?

A．To show the boys it’s not easy growing up.

B．To teach the boys dos and don’ts on the way growing up.

C．To help the boys to avoid making mistakes on the way growing up.

D．To encourage the boys to fully experience life on the way growing up.

                                     B
People come in all shapes and sizes，colors and races (种族). Some speak differently while others act differently.
My mother is in a wheelchair. I would like to say something about this special woman I call "Mommy".
My mom does what a mom needs to do every day. She picks me up from school，drives me to meetings，cooks dinner，and helps me with my homework. This is just part of what makes her great，though.
She is my best friend and can immediately notice when I am unhappy. She helps me solve problems that my friends do not understand. Mommy makes me laugh when times are tough. I look forward to coming home because I know there is someone there who cares about what I have done.
Mommy has always tried to be like a "normal" mom. But I think my mother is a wonderful woman and she doesn’t need to change. She teaches me life lessons that no teacher or friend can. She shows me how to accept everyone for what is inside，rather than what is on the outside.
You may have realized that all the qualities (品质) I admire have nothing to do with what she looks like. Everyone could be the way she is，but most are not.
I want everyone to look beyond the surface and see what is inside others. You may fail to notice someone who is very special like my mom because you cannot accept their outside features.
【小题1】 What’s the function of Paragraph 1？

A．To tell us that people are born to be different.

B．To show the main idea of the passage.

C．To suggest we enjoy what we have.

D．To lead to the topic of the passage.

【小题2】Which of the following words can best describe the writer’s mother？

A．Ugly.

B．Normal.

C．Useless.

D．Wonderful.

【小题3】 We can know from Paragraph 5 that             

A．the writer’s mother has tried to be like a normal mom

B．the writer expects his mother to change

C．the writer has no teachers or friends

D．the writer accept everyone for what is inside

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

A．Most people accept who they are.

B．People admire the writer’s mother very much.

C．The writer doesn’t mind her mother’s disability.

D．The writer’s mother is a normal person in fact.

【小题5】 The writer writes the passage to                  

A．encourage his mother to be happy

B．tell us that everyone acts differently

C．tell us to respect the disabled around us

D．tell us to look beyond the surface and see what is inside people

It has been two years since I published my first article on Yahoo!Contributor Network.I was very excited when I saw that what I had written was published on the Internet.
I recognized that the content sites such as Associated Content can provide a fertile ground for learning how to become a writer.I was thrifty(节俭的)—I could see that this was an open door for systematically(系统地)learning some basic writing skills without paying college tuition for classes,all to be finished at my own speed and without leaving the comfort of my own home.
During these past few years I gained enough experience and understanding of using Associated Content to try writing.I found writing for that site was not my cup of tea.However,my experience there was positive as I was rewarded with even more learning opportunities just by giving it a try.Through Associated Content I was introduced to the world of bolgs(博客).I decided to learn how to set up a blog myself.Now I’m interested in blogs and continue to work as a writer.
Writing for the content site Yahoo!Contributor Network gives me a chance of trying creative writing—news,reviews and numerous lifestyle issues.And all of these topics are my own choices.Then there is an opportunity to meet other writers.Yahoo!Contributor Network has a wonderful in-house messaging system that allows its writers to communicate easily with one another.Not all your tries are satisfactory and easy when you write for a content site,but the benefits are many if you try it.
My teacher once said,“If you don’t quit,you will win.”I have no desire to quit writing as I really enjoy it.My thanks go out to Associated content and yahoo!Contributor Network for all my progress in writing!And to my fellow writers—thank you so much for your support and friendship.May we continue in our efforts of inspiration for many years to come!
【小题1】According to the author,_______.

A．people can read a lot of novels on Associated Content

B．Associated Content helps readers study writing regularly

C．Associated Content contributes to making one become a writer.

D．studying on Associated Content is rather expensive but convenient.

【小题2】In the author’s eyes,writing for Associated Content was not______.

A．a job he can deal with	B．his favorite thing
C．a difficult task for him	D．meaningful work for him

【小题3】What is the benefit that Yahoo!Contributor Network offers?

A．You can have all your articles published.

B．You can get a lot of rewards from the site.

C．You can use its information and messages for free.

D．You can easily communicate with other writers.

【小题4】The author uses his teacher’s words to show that____.

A．he will stick to his writing career

B．his teacher gave him a lot of help

C．what his teacher said is really true

D．he has met much difficulty in writing

【小题5】We can learn from the passage that____.

A．two years has passed since the author began writing

B．the author is grateful for the sites and his fellow writers

C．the author had his first book published on the Internet

D．the author thinks writing on the Internet is very easy

New picture
The National Gallery now has a fine still life by the 18th century Dutch painter Jan van Os．This large picture （89.1 cm x 71cm） of flowers and fruit is painted in light bright colours on wood．It is one of the first pictures of this type in the Gallery．The picture is signed and dated 1777 and 1778．It is not unusual for a picture to be dated two years: the artist waited for particular flowers to come out in their different seasons in order to paint them．This picture was given to the Gallery by Miss Violet Churchman in memory of her sister Ida Nancy. It is now on show in Room 25.
Special exhibition
The exhibition "Painting in Spain During the Late 18th Century" opened in the Sunley Room on 15 March．Recently the Gallery has bought works by three Spanish painters of this period—Paret, Melendez and Francisco Bayeu, who are the focus of the exhibition．These three artists are also joined by Francisco's brother Ramon, by Antonio Gonzalez and two Italians who worked in Spain during these years—Corrado Giaquinto and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo．The exhibition runs until 31 May.
Lecture news    Lectures will be given along with the special exhibition every Wednesday．On 8 April, Lizzie Barker will discuss the work of Melendez, while on 15 April, Sarah Symmons will lecture on Luis Patter．On 22 and 29 April, Juliet Wilson will talk about Francisco Bayeu．On 25 April, a Saturday, Erika Langmuir will explain how artists often "tell a story" through their pictures.
【小题1】What does "still life" in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．A painting of unmoving objects．	B．A picture of a country scene.
C．A drawing done in pencil．	D．A portrait shown in a public place.

【小题2】How many artists' paintings are on show at the special exhibition?

A．Three．

B．Five．

C．Seven．

D．Eight.

【小题3】Which speaker will lecture on a general topic rather than on particular artists?

A．Juliet Wilson．	B．Lizzie Barker.
C．Sarah Symmons．	D．Erika Langmuir.

【小题4】Where will this passage most probably be found?

A．In the booklet of a gallery．	B．In a textbook.
C．In an academic magazine．	D．In a picture album.

There are some very good things about open education. This way of teaching allows the students to grow as people, and to develop their own interests in many subjects. Open education allows students to be responsible for their own education, as they are responsible for what they do in life. Some students do badly in a traditional classroom. The open classroom may allow them to enjoy learning. Some students will be happier in an open education school. They will not have to worry about grades or rules. For students who worry about these things a lot, it is a good idea to be in an open classroom.
But many students will not do well in an open classroom. For some students, there are too few rules. These students will do little and will not make good use of open education. Because open education is so different from traditional education, these students may have a problem getting used to making so many choices. For many students it is important to have some rules in the classroom. They worry about the rules even when there are no rules. Even a few rules will help this kind of students. The last point about open education is that some traditional teachers do not like it. Many teachers do not believe in open education. Teachers who want to have an open classroom may come across many problems at their schools.
You now know what open education is. Some of its good points and bad points have been explained. You may have your own opinion about open education. The writer thinks that open education is a good idea, but only in theory. In actual fact, it may not work very well in a real class or school. The writer believes that most students, but of course not all students, want some structure in their classes. They want and need to have rules. In some cases, they must be made to study some subjects. Many students are pleased to find subjects they have to study interesting. They would not study those subjects if they did not have to.
【小题1】Open education allows the students to ______.

A．grow as the educated	B．be responsible for their future
C．develop their own interests	D．discover subjects outside class

【小题2】Open education may be a good idea for the students who ______.

A．don't enjoy learning	B．worry about grades
C．do well in a traditional classroom	D．are responsible for what they do in life.

【小题3】Some students will do little in an open classroom because _____.

A．there are too few rules	B．they hate activities
C．open education is similar to the traditional education	D．they worry about the rules

【小题4】Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Some traditional teachers do not like it.

B．Many teachers do not believe in open education.

C．Teachers may have problems in open classrooms.

D．The teacher’s feelings and attitudes are important to the students.

【小题5】Which of the following best summarizes the passage?

A．Open education is a really complex idea.

B．Open education is better than traditional education.

C．Teachers dislike open education.

D．The writer thinks that open education is a good idea in practice.

No one doubts that students should study languages, maths and science in high school, but some may object to the idea that they should study art and music as well. To them, these subjects are useless for students’ future and are not worth the time and effort. In my opinion, however, it is necessary for middle school students to study art and music.
Art and music are a precious culture legacy（遗产）, which bring us pleasure and enjoyment. Have you ever been deeply moved by Beethoven’s famous Fifth Symphony（第五交响曲）? Have you ever been fascinated by the colorful starry night produced by Vincent Van Gogh in his paint? Have you ever longed for the moving love between the Butterfly Lovers when you hear this well-known Chinese melody（曲调）? Art and music are not only images and sounds, but something beyond them. They are the products of passion and human wisdom（智慧）.
Art and music help make students more creative. Artists and musicians are considered the most creative people in the world. It is because art and music sharpen their senses and provide a different perspective (视角) for them to see the world. Many great scientists benefited from art and music. Einstein, the greatest physicist in the 20th century, as well as an excellent violin player, is a good example.
Enjoying art and music is also a good way to relax. Middle school students, who typically carry heavy burdens of study, will definitely（明确地）benefit from it.
To sum up, art and music should absolutely be included in the middle school courses, for they can bring students pleasure and relaxation.
【小题1】According to the author, people who think art and music are useless for middle school students __________.

A．don’t understand the value of art and music

B．don’t know the history of art and music at all

C．never benefit from artists and musicians

D．know little about the trend of future education

【小题2】In paragraph 2, the author tries to argue that __________.

A．Beethoven is one of the greatest musicians

B．art and music help express people’s emotions

C．art and music are precious pictures and sounds

D．art and music bring people joy and quality life

【小题3】The example of Einstein is used to __________.

A．show the importance of creativity

B．prove that scientists are creative

C．encourage students to study art and music

D．provide students with a new way to see the world

【小题4】Which of the following is an effective way for middle school students to study?

A． Relaxing themselves regularly while studying.

B． Attending concerts during holidays or after school.

C． Avoiding too much homework by studying art and music.

D． Listening to music while studying language, maths or other subjects.

【小题5】Which of the following is used to support the writer’s opinion?

A．Art and music help people become scientists.

B．Art and music provide people with more opportunities.

C．Art and music are beneficial to students in other subjects.

D．Art and music are helpful to make students creative learners.

When the lazy days of summer arrive and the schedule is packed with swimming，camp，and family vacations，it can be a challenge to find time for learning. But kids’ reading skills don’t have to grow cold once school’s out. Here are some ways to make reading a natural part of their summer fun.
Explore your library. Visit your local library to check out books and magazines that your kids haven’t seen before. Many libraries have summer reading programs，book clubs，and reading contests for even the youngest borrowers. With a new library card，a child will feel extra grown­up checking out books.
Read on the road. Going on a long car trip？Make sure the back seat is stocked with favorite reads. When you’re not at the wheel，read the books aloud. Get some audiobooks (many libraries have large selections)and listen to them together during driving time.
Make your own books. Pick one of your family’s favorite parts of summer—whether it’s baseball，ice cream，or the pool—and have your child draw pictures of it or cut out pictures from magazines. Stick the pictures onto paper to make a booklet and write text for it. When you’re done，read the book together. Reread it whenever you like!
Keep in touch. Kids don’t have to go away to write about summer vacation. Even if your family stays home，they can send postcards to tell friends and relatives about their adventures. Ask a relative to be your child’s pen pal and encourage them to write each week.
Keep up the reading habits. Even if everything else changes during the summer，keep up the reading routines around your house. Read with your kids every day—whether it’s just before bedtime or under a shady tree on a lazy afternoon. And don’t forget to take a book to the beach！Just　brush　the sand off the pages—it’s no sweat!
【小题1】The purpose of the passage is to________.

A．encourage parents to read

B．give advice on raising kids

C．raise a good summer reader

D．suggest places for vacations

【小题2】If you drive on a long trip in summer，you can ________.

A．visit the local library and join book clubs

B．borrow some audiobooks to listen to

C．keep in touch with friends by sending postcards

D．read your own picture books with your son

【小题3】By saying “Just brush the sand off the pages—it’s no sweat”，the author means ________.

A．taking away the sand on the book is very difficult

B．a special book is needed when you’re reading on the beach

C．one can remove the sand on the book with a brush easily

D．there’s no trouble reading even on the beach

【小题4】Who are the intended readers of the passage?

A．Parents.	B．Students.
C．Teachers.	D．Editors.

When you are curious（好奇的）about something， and want to know more about it， you can use the way of asking questions. Asking questions is the first step to make discoveries and find interesting answers. The steps below can guide you during the research（研究）.
Step 1
On a note card or piece of paper, write down the subject that you are interested in. Just get the main idea down. For example, you might write：
Discover more about dinosaurs.
Step 2
Next， stop and think for a moment about what you already know about your subject. List what you already know like the sentences below：
（1）Dinosaurs lived long before human beings appeared.
（2）Dinosaurs lived on the earth for more than 150 million years.
（3）Some dinosaurs fed on plants， some on meat.
Step 3
What can you do with what you want to learn？ By asking questions. On your paper，start writing down questions about the dinosaurs as you think of them：
（1）What‘s the best weather for dinosaurs to live in？
（2）How many kinds of dinosaurs are there？
（3）Have dinosaurs really disappeared？
Step 4
Armed with your list of questions， you can now go to the nearest library or computer to begin your research. As you learn more about your subject， you‘ll probably discover some new questions. For example， you might discover that dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago. Why？ What happened？ Asking new questions can help you research your subject more widely. The next time you find something interesting to research， take time to organize（组织）your thinking by asking good questions. And remember — learning more always bring more questions.
【小题1】When you do some research，you should take the following steps： _____.
①list what you want to know   ②choose a research subject
③list what you already know   ④discover new problems

A．①④③②

B．②③①④

C．③②④①

D．④③①②

【小题2】What does the underlined sentence “Armed with your list of questions” mean？

A．Putting your list of questions under your arm.

B．Discussing your questions with your classmates.

C．Writing down your list of questions.

D．Taking your list of questions with you.

【小题3】According to the passage, which of the following is true？

A．You can find all the answers online.

B．Learn more，and you’ll have no questions.

C．During the research，you may keep finding new questions.

D．Asking questions is the only way for research.

【小题4】The best title for this passage is _____.

A．Discovering Dinosaurs

B．Asking Good Questions

C．Finding Subjects

D．Having Interesting Answers

It's the end of class. When the bell rings, students of Luohu Foreign Languages School in Shenzhen quickly take out their cell phones. They want to log on to their micro blogs（微博） to check the interesting things that have happened in the last hour.
Since last year, thetrend of micro blogging has swept the country. Recent surveys shows that most students in middle schools have a micro blog and some even update their blogs over five times per day.
"We learn many fresh and interesting things on micro blogs and they have become popular topics in class," said Andy Liang, 14. "If you do not know about them, you are out."
It is also a great place for students to let out stress. "My parents always ask me to study hard, and encourage me before exams, but it really adds pressure," said Simon Zhang, 15. "When I share these feelings on my micro blog, I get many replies from friends in the same situation, which makes me feel better."
But parents are worried that micro blogging could be a waste of time. Some misleading messages may even cause danger to kids, they said.
Mr. Shen, a professor at the China Education Association, suggests parents not worry too much as long as kids are not crazy about micro blogging. Maybe it can become a window for parents to understand their children. "If parents can read their children's micro blogs, they'll know their thoughts, thus leading to better communication and solutions to problems," he said. He also gives some tips for kids.
-Don't micro blog for more than one hour a day.
-Never micro blog in class.
-Try to talk face to face with people from time to time.
-Be critical(批判性的). Don't trust all the messages on a micro blog.
【小题1】Students log on to their micro blogs to           .

A．check the things

B．write articles

C．listen to music

D．call their parents

【小题2】Micro blog made Simon      when he shared his feelings and got replies on his micro blog.

A．feel sad

B．let out stress

C．add pressure

D．make friends

【小题3】We can know from Mr. Shen that micro blogging can           .

A．make kids crazy while logging on to it

B．bring a lot of misleading messages

C．become a window to understand young kids

D．lead to worse communication

【小题4】Don't micro blog for           a day.
A more than one hour    B. less than one hour   C. one hour   D. more than two hours
【小题5】Which is Wrong ?

A．Never micro blog in class.

B．They'll know their thoughts through micro blog.

C．Trust all the messages on a micro blog.

D．Be critical(批判性的)