Is early childhood education really necessary? Early childhood education primarily focuses on learning through playing to develop the child’s physical, sensory, communicational and social development. Early childhood education has become a concern of the government, who pushes poor children to be formally trained before they are old enough for Kindergarten.

There are good reasons for the government to push early childhood education. Studies have shown that orphaned children who did not receive good care and education become developmentally delayed causing failure in school, and even in life. Further studies show that poor children who take part in Head Start programs are more prepared for school, less likely to end up in Special Education classes, and are less likely to receive public help or go to jail.

There are also negative parts to putting a child in formal education programs too early. Time Magazine online explains that “the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work.” I have personally witnessed many children of my generation who went to Head Start programs become frustrated and bored with school before they finished high school. Yet patents have been sure that the earlier the child starts school, the better off he or she is, so they push to start children earlier.

Actually while early formal education of poor children does show great gains in the early elementary years, studies also show that this head start is really a “false start”, as the gains are lost in middle and high school years. It seems that environment is a bigger factor on life’s success than early education. Head Start programs have not achieved its original goal in closing the achievement gap in poor and middle school children. Perhaps it is time to find other ways to close that gap.

1. The purpose of the government valuing the early childhood education is ________.

A. to develop the children’s communication

B. to give orphaned children good care and education

C. to get the children prepared for the kindergarten

D. to train the children formally and regularly

2. According to the studies, which of the following is True?

A. Children with good early education may have a rich life.

B. The orphaned children are usually unhappy in their life.

C. Children without early education can do well at school.

D. Head Start programs are helpful to the poor children.

3. “……the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work.” suggests that _________.

A. the early childhood education is helpless to the child’s grade

B. it is good for the young children to receive early education

C. the early education can help the children follow the grade

D. the younger the children are, the more clever they will be

4.The author’s attitude toward the early childhood education is _________.

A. puzzling             B. objective                     C. indifferent   D. approving

5.The main idea of the last passage is that __________.

A. the early childhood education is very necessary

B. Head Start programs have helped the children a lot

C. environment is the most important to life’s success

D. better ways should be found to help the poor children

 

One reaction to all the concern about tropical deforestation（毁林） is a blank stare that asks the question, "Since I don't live there, what does it have to do with me?"

The answer is that your way of life, wherever you live in the world, is tied to the tropics in many ways. If you live in a house, wash your hair, eat fruits and vegetables, drink soda, or drive a car, you can be certain that you are affected by the loss of tropical forests.

Biologically, we are losing the richest regions on earth when, each minute, a piece of tropical forest, the size of ten city blocks, disappears. As many as five million species of plants, animals, and insects (40 to 50 percent of all living things) live there, and are being lost faster than they can be found and described. Their loss is immeasurable.

Take rubber for example. For many uses, only natural rubber from trees will do. Synthetics are not good enough. Today over half the world's commercial rubber is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia, while the Amazon's rubber industry produces much of the world's four million tons. And rubber is an important material in making gloves, balloons, footwear and many sporting goods. Thousands of other tropical plants are valuable for their industrial use.

Many scientists strongly believe that deforestation contributes to the greenhouse effect -- or heating of the earth from increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As we destroy forests, we lose their ability to change carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Carbon dioxide levels could double within the next half-century, warming the earth by as much as 4.5 degrees. The result? A partial melt-down of polar ice caps, raising sea levels as much as 24 feet; even 15 feet could threaten anyone living within 35 miles of the coast. Unbelievable? Maybe. But scientists warn that by the time we realise the severe effects of tropical deforestation, it will be 20 years too late.

Can tropical deforestation affect our everyday lives? Now, you should have got the answer.

1.The underlined word "synthetics" probably means_________.

A. natural rubber                   B. tropical materials

C. man-made material               D. commercial rubber

2.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A. The forests are losing their function in turning carbon dioxide into oxygen.

B. Many of our daily uses are related to the tropical forests.

C. Tropical plants can be used to make industrial products.

D. High carbon dioxide levels will make the earth warmer.

3.The author's attitude towards the tropical deforestation is _________ .

A. puzzling        B. cold          C. supporting        D. opposed

4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A. Tropical Forests                 B. The Value of Tropical Forests

C. Tropical Forests and Our Life     D. The Greenhouse Effects

 

Is early childhood education really necessary? Early childhood education primarily focuses on learning through playing to develop the child’s physical, sensory, communicational and social development. Early childhood education has become a concern of the government, who pushes poor children to be formally trained before they are old enough for Kindergarten.

There are good reasons for the government to push early childhood education. Studies have shown that orphaned children who did not receive good care and education become developmentally delayed causing failure in school, and even in life. Further studies show that poor children who take part in Head Start programs are more prepared for school, less likely to end up in Special Education classes, and are less likely to receive public help or go to jail.

There are also negative parts to putting a child in formal education programs too early. Time Magazine online explains that “the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work.” I have personally witnessed many children of my generation who went to Head Start programs become frustrated and bored with school before they finished high school. Yet patents have been sure that the earlier the child starts school, the better off he or she is, so they push to start children earlier.

Actually while early formal education of poor children does show great gains in the early elementary years, studies also show that this head start is really a “false start”, as the gains are lost in middle and high school years. It seems that environment is a bigger factor on life’s success than early education. Head Start programs have not achieved its original goal in closing the achievement gap in poor and middle school children. Perhaps it is time to find other ways to close that gap.

The purpose of the government valuing the early childhood education is ________.

A. to develop the children’s communication

B. to give orphaned children good care and education

C. to get the children prepared for the kindergarten

D. to train the children formally and regularly

According to the studies, which of the following is True?

A. Children with good early education may have a rich life.

B. The orphaned children are usually unhappy in their life.

C. Children without early education can do well at school.

D. Head Start programs are helpful to the poor children.

“……the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work.” suggests that _________.

A. the early childhood education is helpless to the child’s grade

B. it is good for the young children to receive early education

C. the early education can help the children follow the grade

D. the younger the children are, the more clever they will be

The author’s attitude toward the early childhood education is _________.

A. puzzling                B. objective                C. indifferent   D. approving

The main idea of the last passage is that __________.

A. the early childhood education is very necessary

B. Head Start programs have helped the children a lot

C. environment is the most important to life’s success

D. better ways should be found to help the poor children

第二节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1．5分，满分30分）

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36—55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

I really hated having to ask questions, for math is very difficult for me, so I don’t know why I thought I could take classes in pre-calculus in my junior year.

I like Mr Trout, his values and what he believed in   36   a teacher. He wanted us to really   __37   what we were doing. I respected that, but all the numbers were still so   38   to me. I studied endless hours, and it   39   at first, until the algebra（代数）was over. That was   40   I learned how to ask for help on something as silly as   41   problems. I realized that the only 42_   I would survive pre-calculus would be to   43   a tutor.

Oh, how I   44   having to tell my parents that I needed a tutor. I felt so   45  .

Mr Hicks came to my house the next week. I   46   how I was going to bring myself to ask this man questions. But he   47   took his pen and paper out, asked me what chapter we were  __48  , and began to teach.

It was amazing. I began to understand math. I did example   49   with him, worked them out several times until I understood the process. I didn’t feel   50  asking questions because it was helping.

Asking for help was not what I thought it would be.    51   , it was a very good thing. I actually felt smarter for it, and it was a really satisfying   52  . In fact, I plan on asking for help as   53   as possible. But I have found that I can still be   54  and ask for help when I need it. The only stupid question is the one you didn’t   55  .

36. A. as        B. with         C. for       D. like

37. A. count       B. repeat       C. practice   D. understand

38. A. puzzling      B. increasing    C. limited    D. unknown

39. A. stopped     B. remained     C. worked    D. succeeded

40. A. what        B. when       C. where      D. whether

41. A. practical      B. difficult      C. math       D. science

42. A. period     B. result       C. key       D. way

43. A. become     B. make       C. get       D. help

44. A. hated       B. enjoyed       C. admitted   D. considered

45. A. hopeful     B. weak        C. patient     D. lonely

46. A. decided     B. feared       C. imagined        D. wondered

47. A. almost     B. just          C. even        D. finally

48. A. on        B. from       C. about       D. below

49. A. experiments B. explanations  C. problems        D. figures

50. A. afraid      B. certain            C. mad            D. stupid

51. A. Anyway       B. Instead        C. Otherwise  D. Besides

52. A. subject     B. duty         C. form       D. feeling

53. A. long        B. early        C. often       D. soon

54. A. independent B. comfortable        C. gifted      D. delighted

55. A. think       B. want        C. feel       D. ask

 

完形填空 (共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分)

请认真阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Do you know what kind of things the young people are reading? More and more   46    and parents have noticed another kind of   47   , which came from the printed papers   48   on the streets.

These printed things   49  newspapers but have hardly  50   to do with them. You can only find reading materials badly made up there----some are too strange for anyone to   51 ; others are  52   stories of something   53   . However, many of the young readers are getting interested in such  54   reading, which   55   them what they should pay for their breakfast and brings them nightmares（噩梦）and    56   ideas in return. Homework was left  57  ; daily games lost.

These sellers shout on streets selling their papers well. The writers, publishers and printers,   58  they are, we never know, are   59   their silent money.

The sheep-skinned wolf’s story seems to have been forgotten once again. Why not   60  this kind of things? Yes,    61   the teachers and parents have asked each other for more strict control of the young readers.   62   , the more you want to stop it,   63  they want to have a look at it.   64   you may even find out several children, driven by the curious natures,   65  one patched paper, which has travelled from hand to hand.

A. readers     B. writers     C. teachers       D. students

A. result      B. effect        C. education     D. pollution

A. found    B.  sold     C. given      D. shown

A. appear      B. seem as      C. look like       D. are

A. nothing     B. anything     C. something     D. everything

A. get       B. find        C. believe       D. know

A. puzzling    B. pleased      C. worried        D. frightening

A. too bad    B. still worse     C. even better     D. very good

A. poisonous   B. wonderful      C. interesting      D. useless

A. takes       B. uses        C. costs       D. pays

A. ordinary    B. immoral       C. valuable      D. unpunished

A. undone     B. unknown      C. much       D. less

A. who        B. what         C. whoever       D. which

A. using       B. making       C. spending       D. losing

A. allow       B. forbid        C. separate       D. leave

A. neither     B. some       C. most         D. both

A. Happily     B. Luckily        C. Unfortunately   D. Badly

A. the less     B. so that         C. the more       D. as though

A. Seldom   B. Always        C. Sometimes    D. Hardly

A. find      B. share       C. get         D. hold