阅读理解

　　Many parents have learned the hard way that what sounds like open communication is often the very thing that closes a youngster’s ears and mouth．One common mistake is the Lecture, the long monologue that often starts with “When I was your age…” Eighteen-year-old Kelly calls lectures “long, one-side discussions in which I don’t say much．”

　　Kids reflexively(条件反射地)shut down in the face of a lecture．Their eyes glaze over(呆滞), and they don’t register any incoming information．Listen to 13-year-old Sarah describe her least favorite times with her mom and dad．“First, they scream．Then comes the ‘We’re so disappointed’ speech．Then the ‘I never did that to my parents’ lecture begins．After that, even if they realize how ridiculous they sound, they never take it back．”

　　Lines like “When you have children of your own, you’ll understand” have been seriously said by parents since time immemorial．But many of our expert parents, like Bobby, a registered nurse and mother of three, feel that by falling back on clichés(陈词滥调)to justify our actions, we weaken our position．

　　Since kids are creatures of here and now, the far-off future has no relevance to them．Therefore, good communicators like Bobby suggest, “Give specific reasons for your actions in present language：‘I’m not letting you go to the party because I don’t think there will be enough adult supervisions(监护)．’”

　　Betty, who lives in Missiouri, uses an indirect approach．“I find that warnings are accepted more readily if I discuss a news article on a subject I am concerned about．My husband and I talk about it while our children absorb the information．Then they never think I’m preaching(布道)．”

　　This really helped when Betty’s kids began driving．Instead of constantly repeating “Don’t drink; don’t speed,” she would talk about articles in the paper and express sympathy for the victims of a car crash．Betty made no special effort to draw her kids into the conversation．She depended on a teenager’s strong desire to put in his opinions－especially if he thinks he isn’t being asked for them．

阅读理解

　　An idea that started in Seattle's public library has spread throughout America and beyond．The concept is simple：help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same time．

　　In addition to encouraging reading as a pursuit(追求)to be enjoyed by all, the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus, as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools．The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched(发起)the "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book " project in 1998．Her original program used author visits, study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book, but the idea has since expanded to many other American cities, and even to Hong Kong．

　　In Chicago, the mayor appeared on television to announce the choice of To Kill a Mockingbird as the first book in the "One Book, One Chicago" program．As a result, reading clubs and neighborhood groups sprang up around the city．Across the US, stories emerged of parents and children reading to each other at night and strangers chatting away on the bus about plot and character．

　　The only problem arose in New York, where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and diverse population．This may show that the idea works best in medium-sized cities or large towns, where a greater sense of unity(一致)can be achieved．Or it may show that New Yorkers rather missed the point ,putting all their energy and passion into the choice of the book rather than discussion about a book itself．

　　Ultimately, as Nancy points out, the level of success is not measured by how many people read a book, but by how many people are enriched by the process or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not otherwise have shared a word．

阅读理解

　　Hilary Smith belonged to a good family．But by the age of twenty, he had spent all the money the good old family had．He then had some trouble with the bank and was put in prison．He escaped from the prison and ran to Australia without delay．

　　Hilary did not like Australia and Australia did not like Hilary．What he could do seemed to be one of two things：die or work．The thought of neither of these gave him any pleasure．Then he remembered that he was not alone in the world．He possessed an aunt．

　　She was his father’s only sister, but his father used to say she brought no glory to the family．Hilary, of course, tried to discover what she had done．It seemed that she had failed to marry a nobleman．Instead, she had chosen a husband who was connected with trade．Of course as soon as she became “Mrs Parks”, her brother considered her dead．Later on, Mr．Parks died and left her a lot of money; but that did not bring her back to life in her brother’s opinion．

　　Hilary discovered his aunt’s address．Fortunately she remained faithful and honest to him even after she fell ill．So Hilary’s star shone again．When he was feeling honest, he could talk attractively．He frequently visited his aunt’s house; and soon he was living comfortably in the building which the profits of trade had provided．

　　One thing was soon clear：his aunt was seriously ill, and nothing could cure her illness．Hilary was very worried．Fate had found a home for him, and was now going to throw him out of it．There was only one thing that could save him：her will．

　　“Will?” she said, “yes, I have made one．That was when I was a girl and had not much money．I left all my money to some religious people．”

　　“Didn’t you make another will when you were married?” Hilary asked．

　　His aunt shook her head．“No,” she said in a low voice, “There was no need．When I finally had a lot of money I found I had no relations．”

　　On the next day he went to the public library and examined a book of law．It told him what he already believed．When a woman is married, an earlier will loses its value．A new will must be made．If no new will is made, the money goes to the nearest relation．Hilary knew that he was his aunt’s only relation．His future was safe．

　　After a few months had passed, Hilary’s problems became serious．He badly needed money．He had expensive tastes, and owed a lot of money to shopkeepers．They trusted him because his aunt was rich; but the debt was terrible．

　　Unfortunately his aunt did not want to discuss money matters at all．In the end they had a quarrel about the small amount of ten pounds．Hilary was now very angry．He began to wonder about a new problem．Was it kind to want his aunt to live any longer? Was it not better for her to die now? While he was considering what to do, his aunt told him that she was going to send for her lawyer．So she was going to make a new will．Hilary thought she might leave all her money to someone else．Soon he reached a clear decision．He must do a great kindness to the poor old woman．

　　One night when the old servant who had been nursing his aunt went off, he doubled the amount of some medicine．The total amount was too great and it could just put her to sleep forever．

　　“Thank you,” his aunt took the glass from his hand with a grateful look．“I want, more than anything, to sleep, and never to wake up again．Is that what you wish, Hilary? I have given you your chance．Don’t blame me if I have some doubts about what you intended to do．Sick people get these ideas, you know．One thing I ought to explain to you．Mr．Parks never married me．He already had a wife and couldn’t marry again．That made your foolish father very angry with me… Well, if I am alive tomorrow I shall make another will in your favor．If I die tonight, you’ll get nothing… No, Hilary, don’t try to take the glass away．If you do that, I shall know; and I don’t want to know．Good night, Hilary．”

　　Then, very carefully, she raised the glass to her mouth and drank．

阅读理解

　　Bobby Moresco grew up in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, a tough working-class neighborhood on Manhattan’s West Side．But Hell’s Kitchen lies right next door to Broadway, and the bright lights attracted Bobby from the time he was a teen．Being stage-struck was hardly what a street kid could admit to his partners．Fearing their ridicule, he told no one, not even his girlfriend, when he started taking acting lessons at age 17．If you were a kid from the neighborhood, you became a cop, construction worker, longshoreman or criminal．Not an actor．

　　Moresco struggled to make that long walk a few blocks east．He studied acting, turned out for all the cattle calls, and during the decade of the 1970s made a total of ＄2,000．“I wasn’t a good actor, but I had a driving need to do something different with my life,” he says．

　　He moved to Hollywood, where he drove a cab and worked as a bartender(酒保)．“My father said, ‘Stop this craziness and get a job; you have a wife and daughter．’’’ But Moresco kept working at his chosen craft．

　　Then in 1983 his younger brother Thomas was murdered in a mob-linked killing．Moresco moved back to his old neighborhood and started writing as a way to explore the pain and the patrimony(继承物)of Hell’s Kitchen．Half-Deserted Streets, based on his brother’s killing, opened at a small Off-Broadway theater in 1988．A Hollywood producer saw it and asked him to work on a screenplay．

　　His reputation grew, and he got enough assignments to move back to Hollywood．By 2003, he was again out of work and out of cash when he got a call from Paul Haggis, a director who had befriended him．Haggis wanted help writing a film about the country after September 11．The two worked on the writing, but every studio in town turned it down．They kept pitching it．Studio executives, however, thought no one wanted to see a severe, honest vision of race and fear and lives in collision(冲突、碰撞)in modern America．

　　Moresco believed so strongly in the script that he borrowed money, sold his house．He and Haggis kept pushing．At last the writers found an independent film producer who would take a chance, but the upfront money was too little, Moresco delayed his salary．

　　Crash slipped into the theaters in May 2005, and quietly became both a hit and a critical success．It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won three---Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Writing(Original Screenplay)by Paul Haggis and the kid from Hell’s Kitchen．

　　At age 54, Bobby Moresco became an overnight success．“If you have something you want to do in life, don’t think about the problems,” he says, “think about other ways to get it done．”

阅读理解

　　Parents, our first teachers, play a highly significant role in our lives．However, doesn’t it seem that many of us come to have conflicts with them when we start high school? We're less likely to listen to them and take their suggestions---we even rebel against them．

　　Why? It may be the so-called “generation gap”．A generation gap appears when we begin to feel our parents are ignoring us, don’t understand us, and we feel we can no longer share our feelings with them．

　　The key reason is our desire for independence．In senior high school, we start to want to take responsibility for our own lives and make our own decisions．But parents resist this．They still want to control us and try to force us to do things they think we should do．Debate and discussion often come to nothing．Gradually, we talk with them less, and keep our feelings locked up inside．

　　Zhang Xiaoyun, 16, of Ningbo, Zhejiang, has talked less and less with her mother since she started senior high school．“She believes studies should be my priority, not my inner world,” Zhang said．“Each day, she asks me the same old questions like, ‘How was your last exam?’ or ‘Have you made any progress in physics?’” To Zhang, these questions are annoying and so she always tries to ignore them and answers perfunctorily．“Sometimes, when I get upset, I quarrel with her．After, she comes to apologize and comfort me．But I know, she doesn’t completely understand me,” Zhang said．Now, a home that was once full of laughter has fallen into gloom and silence．

　　The generation gap can be harmful．Because of the lack of communication, our parents no longer know what we are thinking about．There are quarrels, even over trivial things．When that happens, we may not be able to concentrate on our studies．Some of us even become afraid to go home after school－a very serious situation for the whole family．

阅读理解

Life is difficult

　　This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths．It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it．Once we truly know that life is difficult－once we truly understand and accept it－then life is no longer difficult．Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters．

　　Most do not fully see this truth．Instead they complain about their problems and difficulties as if life should be easy．It seems to them that difficulties represent a special kind of suffering especially forced upon them or else upon their families, their class, or even their nation．

　　What makes life difficult is that the process of facing and solving problems is a painful one．Problems, depending on their nature, cause us sadness, or loneliness or regret or anger or fear．These are uncomfortable feelings, often as painful as any kind of physical pain．And since life causes an endless series of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy．

　　Yet, it is in this whole process of solving problems that life has its meaning．Problems are the serious test that tells us success from failure．When we desire to encourage the growth of human spirit, we encourage the human ability to solve problems, just as in school we set problems for our children to solve．It is through the pain of meeting and working out problems that we learn．As Benjamin Franklin said, those things that hurt, instruct．It is for this reason that wise people learn not to fear but to welcome the pain of problems．

阅读理解

　　Fish have the limited ability to count directly up to four, say scientists．

　　Christian Agrillo, an experimental psychologist at the university of Padua in Italy, said that it was during a study on North American mosquito fish that their limited mathematical ability was observed．

　　Previously it was known that the fish could tell big groups from small ones, but the researcher said that the fish used their mathematical ability to count the number of other fish around them．

　　In their recent research, the researchers conducted a series of experiments to see whether a single mosquito fish would prefer to join a group of between two and four other fish．

　　They found that the female fish preferred to join groups that were larger．For example , a fish of a group of two always preferred to join groups of three rather than those containing just two．

　　In another experiment, it was found that the fish were unable to count over four directly, though they could distinguish between larger numbers if they differed by a ratio(比例)of 2∶1．For example, the fish could distinguish between a group of 16 , compared to a group of eight others．But they could not tell the difference between a group of 12 compared to a group of eight, a ratio of 3：．The results, published on the BBC World wide's natural history site, indicated that the fish are able to use eyes to tell larger numbers, but not very accurately．

　　Lead researcher Professor Angelo Bisazza said that fish's numerical ability was similar to that of monkeys and human babies between 6 and 12 months old, who were both able to visually count small numbers and less accurately estimate larger ones．

阅读理解

　　More and more people sit for a long time every day．But experts are increasingly warning that it could be bad for their health．And it doesn't matter where the sitting takes place－at the office, in the car or before a computer or TV－just the overall number of hours it occurs．Several studies suggest people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have a heart attack or even die．

　　Elin Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences suggested that health officials rethink how they define physical activity to highlight the dangers of sitting．While health officials have issued guidelines recommending minimum amounts of physical activity, they haven't sggested people try to limit how much time they spend in a seated position．"After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send harmful signals，" Ekblom-Bak said．

　　However, some people argued that if they spent long stretches of time sitting but used their spare time to exercise, everything would be OK．Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert, didn't agree and said they might get more benefit if that exercise was spread across the day, rather than in a single activity．

　　In a study that tracked more than 17,000 Canadians, researchers found people who sat more had a higher death risk, whether or not they exercised．"We don't have enough evidence yet to say how much sitting is bad，" said Peter Katzmarzyk who led the Canadian study．"But it seems the more you can get up and interrupt this seated behavior, the better．"

　　Figures from a US survey found Americans spend more than half their time sitting, from working at their desks to sitting in cars．"People should keep exercising because that has a lot of benefit，" Ekblom-Bak said．"But when they're in the office, they should try to interrupt sitting as often as possible，" she said．

阅读理解

　　The booking notes of the play "the Age of Innocence"

　　Price：＄ 10

　　There are four easy ways to book seats for the performance：

　　◆in person

　　The Box Office is open Monday to Saturday, 10 a. m.－8 p. m．

　　◆by telephone

　　Ring 01324976 to reserve your tickets and to pay by credit card．

　　◆by post

　　Simply complete the booking form and return it to Global Theatre Box Office．

　　◆on line

　　Complete the on-line booking form at www．Satanfied theatre, com．

　　DISCOUNTS：

　　Saver：＄ 2 off any seat booked any time in advance for performances from Monday to Thursday．Savers are available for children up to 16 years old, over 60s and full-time students．

　　Supersaver：half-price seats are available for people with disabilities and one companion．It is advisable to hook in advance．There is a maximum of eight wheelchair spaces available and one of the wheelchair spaces will be held until an hour before the show．

　　Standby：best available seats are on sale for ＄ 6 from one hour before the performance for people eligible(suitable)for Saver and Supersaver discounts and thirty minutes before for all other customers．

　　Group Bookings：there is a ten percent discount for parties of twelve or more．

　　School：school parties of ten or more can book ＄ 6 standby tickets in advance and will get every tenth ticket free．

　　Please note：we are unable to exchange tickets or refund money unless a performance is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances．

阅读理解

　　Some years ago, maybe even now, Zambia had many children living on the streets．I mean kids as young as four years old, without warm clothes or beddings had to be on the streets for the night．I was a manager at a restaurant in Livingstone and I made it a must that all leftover foods were kept for these little kids．

　　Two of these "street kids", 14 and 15 years old, decided to be out of the street life．I cannot really remember their names．I call them Jim and Jack here for they come easily to me．

　　During the day, Jim and Jack begged on the streets for money to buy bread．At the end of the day, they would put together whatever they collected, use some for the most needed food and put the rest aside．In no time, the boys stopped begging because they bought things like sweets, cigarettes, candles that they started selling at night on the same streets where they were sleeping or rather called home．They recognized and

　　learnt, from successful people, what it takes to succeed．They adopted the "whatever-it-takes attitude"．

　　Today, Jack is 20 years old and Jim is 21 and the two have a shop selling quality shoes in Livingstone Zambia．They are now enjoying the basics of everyday life that most people take for'granted like having electricity, running water, a bed, the wails and a roof that one can call home．These boys chose TO BE out of the streets and NOT TO BE on the streets．

　　Did I tell you that these boys did not get any governmental or other kind of donation or even from me? They did it on their own．They are such an inspiration to me in my seeking for what I want to be and not to be in this lifetime that we all have．

　　The two boys, or rather, young men in this article are still engaged in their work in Livingstone Zambia．