阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项。

　　A group of eight public high school students in Massachusetts, aged 15 to 17, designed and ran their own school within a schoo1．They named their practice the Independent Project．They represented the usual range：two were close to dropping out before they started the project, while others were honors students．

　　Their guidance teacher was their adviser, consulting with them when the group encountered difficulties．Though they sought advice from English, math and science teachers, they were responsible for monitoring one another's work and giving one another feedback．There were no grades, but at the end of the term, the students wrote evaluations of their classmates．

　　The students also designed their own course．In addition to some regular courses, they each took on an'individual project', learning to play the piano or to cook, writing a novel or making a video a bout domestic(国内的)violence．At the end of the term, they performed their new skills in front of the entire school．The last part of their self-designed course was to do a'collective project'that had social significance．Because they felt the whole experience had been so life-changing, they ended up making a film showing how other students could start and run their own schools．

　　The project was a success．After returning to their traditional study, the students have high motivation and axe doing well．One student who had failed all of his previous math courses spent three weeks teaching the others about probability．The lesson learned here is that if students are given the opportunity to take control or contribute significantly to their own learning they will become more accomplished, more engaged and more knowledgeable．

　　The students in the project are remarkable because they demonstrate the kinds of learning and personal growth that axe possible when teenagers feel ownership of their high school experience, learn things that matter to them and learn together．

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阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项。

　　In Wiltshire, England, volunteers are being sought to visit a nature protection area to count the butterflies living there and on surrounding fields．The project is promoted by all environmental protection organisation, which has contributed to improving the living environment for wild animals．Recently, the organisation has issued an appeal to help it observe environmental changes based on the record of butterflies and protect the environment．

　　In the area, the local people have planted many special flowers with the help of the organisation, aiming to see whether these flowers will interest the rare and beautiful butterflies．The project officer Sarah Marshall says, “It will be a suitable habitat(栖息地)for butterflies．They are great‘indicator species’ as they are easily affected by climate changes so they make a brilliant early-warning system for the environment．”She also points out that volunteers are needed to record the number or species of butterflies, and based on the change happening to the butterflies, the hidden environmental problems in the area earl be found out in time．

　　The organisation is seeking volunteers to help monitor butterflies from April through to September．They will walk a fixed route and record the different butterflies they encounter along the way．Each visit should take no more than two hours, and each volunteer is expected to visit once a month to count the wildlife．“Staff will provide back up, so if the weather is poor on the day you are to visit(butterflies don't like to fly in the rain, wind or if it's too cloudy)we can have someone else do your job, ”Sarah points out．

　　No previous experience is necessary as training and support will be provided, but a keen interest is essential．If you are interested please contact Sarah on(01380)725670, ext 278, email-sarahm @ wiltshirewildlife, org

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阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项。

　　When you see homework coveting the kitchen table and toys are piling up around the sofa, you probably wish there was a bit more space．You are not alone．Nearly a third of parents say they feel squeezed into their homes but cannot afford to move to a bigger property, a report reveals today．

　　Twenty-nine percent say 'their property is too small to fit the size of their family'-rising to 40 percent for those 34 and under．One in four children is‘forced to share’ a bedroom, according to the Finda Property, com website．Property analyst Samantha Baden said：“Afford ability remains a key issue for ramifies, with the average cost of a three-bedroom home around ￡193, 000．”Very few can afford to buy-or to rent-a property of the size they want and in the area they desire to live in, according to Miss Baden．

　　A recent report, from investment firm LV, also found that many'space-starved parents'are pushed into a two-bedroom home which was perfect when they were a young couple, but has no space for three or so children．Grown-up children who cannot afford to leave home are also adding to the problem facing families in Britain's‘big squeeze’．

　　For a home to be the correct size．which means it is not overcrowded, parents must have their own bedroom．Children under ten can share．as well as same-sex children between ten and 20．Anyone over 21 also needs their own room．

　　The report comes as official figures, published yesterday by the Land Registry, revealing house prices are falling sharply in every region except London．The worst-hit area is the North East, where, average house prices have fallen to below￡100, 000 for the first time in seven years．However, they remain unaffordable for millions．

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阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项。

　　Maricel Apatan, 22, stands in the kitchen of the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Manila, preparing to decorate a cheesecake．It would seem to be a routine task for a cake chef, but Maricel is no ordinary chef-she has no hands．

　　Maricel has come a long way since the day in September 2000 when she and her uncle were attacked near their farm．Fortunately, both of them survived, but the 11-year-old girt lost her hands．In 2004, she entered a Manila training centre for people with disabilities．She learned how to write and do housework and, more importantly, came to terms with her disability．

　　After graduation from high school, she took a two-year Hotel and Restaurant Management course and flourished even though she was the only disabled student in the course．After she moved back to Manila to continue her studies, the media started reporting on this determined young woman．She didn't shy away from the attention．“I wanted others living With disabilities to believe it's possible to live a normal life, ” Maricel says．

　　When managers at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel saw Maricel on television, they hired her as part of the hotel's Care for People project．She has also accomplished her goal Of inspiring others．One of them is Ronelyn Calumpiano．a 21-year-old with cerebral palsy(脑瘫)．She saw Maricel on television and Was moved by her confidence．Ronelyn will soon start classes and is already planning a career in IT．

　　Maricel's three younger sisters have moved to Manila．She pays for the rent of their small apartment．While their parents look after their family farm in Mindanao．“It is difficult to make ends meet but I don't lose hope．I believe anything is possible if you dream．work hard and pray．”

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　　The secret of carrier pigeons’ unbelievable ability to find their way home has been discovered by scientists：the feathered navigators follow the roads just like we do．

　　Scientists now believe the phrase “as the crow(乌鸦)flies” no longer means the shortest most direct route between two points．They say it is likely that crows and other day birds also choose AA-suggested routes, even though it makes their journeys longer．

　　Scientists at Oxford University spent 10 years studying homing pigeons using global positioning satellite(GPS)and got a surprising result．The birds often don't use the sun to decide their directions．

　　Instead they fly along motorways, turn at crossing and even go around roundabouts(绕道), adding miles to their journeys．

　　“It really has knocked our research team sideways to find that after a decade-long international study, pigeons appear to ignore their inbuilt directional instincts(本能)and follow the road system, ” said Prof Tim Guilford, reader in animal behavior at Oxford University's Department of Zoology．

　　Guilford said pigeons use their own navigational system(导航系统)when doing long distance trips or when a bird does a journey for the first time．

　　“But once homing pigeons have flown a journey more than once, they can fly home on a habitual route, much as we do when we are driving or walking home from work, ” said Guilford．

　　“In short, it looks like it is mentally easier for a bird to fly down a road．They are just making their journey as simple as possible．”

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　　That cold January night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco．There I was walking home at one in the morning after a tiring practice at the theater．With opening night only a week away, I was still learning my lines．I was having trouble dealing with my part-time job at the bank and my acting at night at the same time．As I walked, I thought seriously about giving up both acting and San Francisco．City life had become too much for me．

　　As I walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and cold．I began running, both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers．Very few people were still out except a few sad-looking homeless people under blankets．

　　About a block from my apartment, I heard a sound behind me．I turned quickly, half expecting to see someone with a knife or a gun．The street was empty．All I saw was a shining streetlight．Still, the noise had made me nervous, so I started to run faster．Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door did I realize what the noise had been．It had been my wallet falling to the sidewalk．

　　Suddenly I wasn't cold or tired any more．I ran out of the door and back to where I'd heard the noise．Although I searched the sidewalk anxiously for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found．

　　Just as I was about to give up the search, I heard the garbage truck pull up to the sidewalk next to me．When a voice called from the inside, “Alisa Camacho? ” I thought I was dreaming．How could this man know my name? The door opened, and out jumped a small red-haired man with an amused look in his eyes．“Is this what you're looking for? ” he asked, holding up a small square shape．

　　It was nearly 3 a．m．by the time I got into bed．I wouldn't get much sleep that night, but I had got my wallet back．I also had got back some enjoyment of city life．I realized that the city couldn't be a bad place as long as people were willing to help each other．

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　　Wanted, Someone for a Kiss

　　We’re looking for producers to join US on the sound of London Kiss l00 FM．You'll work on the station's music programmes．Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music．Please apply(申请)in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100．

　　Father Christmas

　　We’re looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit．Working days：Every Saturday from November 24 to December l5 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, 10∶30-16∶00．

　　Excellent pay．

　　Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne．

　　Accountants Assistant

　　When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance

　　within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties．If you are

　　educated to GCSE grade C level we would like to talk to you．This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience．

　　Wealden District Council

　　Software Trainer

　　If you are aged 24-45 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for．You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing．You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them．Pay upwards of ￡15, 000 for the right person．Please apply by sending your CV(简历)to Mrs R．Oglivie, Palmlace Limited．

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　　Do you know how to be happy? Here are six ways for you to find more pleasure in your life．

　　Play that song you love so much．As a preschooler can tell you, repetition can lead to pleasure．When you experience something more than once, you notice more details about it each time, and it increases your enjoyment．That's why you love revisiting that jazz club, favourite restaurant, and beloved old Woody Allen movie．Of course, you can overdo it．

　　Don't buy boxed sets of DVDs．Economist(经济学家)Tyler says that much of the joy we get from our buying lies in the experience of finding them out, getting them home, and opening them up．If you receive 18 DVDs in one package, you'll use up the excitement all at once．Buy things one a time and space out the pleasure．

　　Look outside．People long ago spent almost all of their time outside with trees, water, and sky around．The world in which most of us spend our time nowadays is unnatural and can harm the spirit．Even being close to nature for a short time can make us happy．

　　________．Physical contact with animals works wonders．You can pet an animal．It increases the brain chemicals connected with pleasure and decreases those connected with stress(压力)．Even people without pets can get some of the effect by hanging out for a few minutes at a dog shelter．

　　Smile．Well, like it or not, smiling improves your mood．Here's why：people react better to you when you look happy, which in turn leads you to be happy．What's more, looking happy fools your brain into thinking that you are happy．

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　　In the US, people prefer waiting for a table to sitting with people they don't know．If you are sitting at a table with people you don't know, it is impolite to light up a cigarette without first asking if it will disturb them．

　　At American restaurants and coffee shops you are usually served tap water before you order．You may find the bread and butter is free, and if you order coffee, you may get a free refill．

　　Most cities and towns have no rules about opening and closing times for stores or restaurants, though they usually do make rules for bars．Especially in large cities, stores may be open 24 hours a day．

　　Servings in restaurants are often large, too large for many people．If you can't finish your meal but would like to enjoy the food later, ask your waitress or waiter for a “doggie bag”．It may have a picture of a dog on it, but everybody knows you’re taking the food for yourself．Supper and dinner are both words for the evening meal．Some people have “Sunday dinner”．This is an especially big noon meal．

　　Tips are not usually added to the check．They are not included in the price of the meal, either．A tip of about 15％ is expected and you should leave it on the table when you leave．In some restaurants, a check is brought on a plate and you put your money there．Then the waiter or waitress brings you your change．

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阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。

　　There is a big question making the rounds among the parents at my daughter's class．Should the kids refer to the parents’ friends as “Mr．Jones” or “Mrs．Smith”, rather than using their first names? I was quite shocked, having come from a home where it would have been unheard of to refer to one of my parents’ friends by their first names．This was reserved for only the closest of family friends and relatives, and even they always had “Aunt” or “Uncle” in front their name．

　　Respect is something that is earned．Unlike many of the other virtues we try to nurture(培养)in our kids, respect is a bit more complicated．It is not only necessary when dealing well with others, but the virtue of self-respect is critical for kids to succeed and feel good about themselves and their choices throughout their lives．

　　There are several factors that can have a big impact on kids and their ability to be respectful．The first one to consider is manners．Calling adults by their surnames, setting proper examples during sporting events and while driving, and how we talk to each other in our homes all can have an enormous effect on a child's concept of respect and how important it is．Many of these seemingly trivial(微小的)ideas have become almost outdated, but one should seriously consider the value of these ideas before casting them aside．It is easy to become unaware of these behaviors．Try to keep track of how often your child is subjected to this kind of disrespect．

　　The media, as you may have guessed, plays a large part in the increase in disrespect．Movies are equally to blame, with a PG movie often containing an abundant amount of profane language．

　　These factors and others all contribute to an alarming increase in disrespect in society．If we don't step in and change course, we will find living in a morally respectful culture unlikely．

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