Each year, thousands of Chinese middle school students go to study in foreign countries. Recent research shows among 428 middle school students in Shanghai, nearly half of them would like to study abroad(国外). "Chinese children are eager to go abroad to get a wider view, less academic (学业) competition or even family honour," said Chen Yi, a Chinese writer who has lived in the USA for 16 years. "But life in foreign countries can be hard for young people."

　　"We have to face the culture shock(差异) and language problems," said Hong Guang, a Chinese student in London. However, these are not always the most difficult things to overcome. To most children, controlling themselves when studying alone in a foreign country is a big challenge.

　　Zhang Jia, a 16-year-old student from Shanghai, entered high school in Melbourne, Australia last October. To his surprise, his teachers there seldom pushed students to study. And usually there wasn't much homework. Some of his friends spent their whole year's money in the first two months of the new term.

　　"Studying abroad at a young age can help students learn foreign languages quickly and broaden their minds, but students and parents should know about the challenges," Chen said.

　　(51) What does the research tell us?

　　A. Half of the students in China would like to study abroad.

　　B. Half of the students in Shanghai would like to study abroad.

　　C. Almost half of the students in Shanghai would like to study abroad.

　　D. Less than 50 percent of the students in China would like to study abroad.

　　(52) What do Chinese students expect to study abroad Except for?

　　A. To broaden their mind.               B. To get a better job.

　　C. To get less academic competition.      D. To get the family honor.

　　(53) If students want to study alone in a foreign country, what is the most difficult thing to them?

　　A. Money.      B. Culture shock.    C. Language.       D. To control themselves well.

　　(54) Why do students in Australia have more free time than in China?

　　A. Because teachers never pushed them to study.

　　B. Because students don't have much homework.

　　C. Because all the subjects they learn are too easy to them.

　　D. Because schools give them a lot of play-time.

　　(55) What's the article mainly about?

　　A. How to study English well.          B. Whether it is good to study abroad.

　　C. Problems of studying abroad.        D. A reach report.

It seemed to him that most American students studied harder during weekdays and enjoyed   3  on weekends. In Japan, however, quite a few students study only before term examination periods(考试期间) and do   4  else for the rest of the time. It’s easier for American students to enter colleges or universities   5  the students in Japan. But they study harder after they enter because they are dismissed(开除) if they do not do  6  . On the contrary (相反),it is so   7  to enter college and universities in Japan that students have to study until midnight    8   every night before the entrance examinations (入学考试). And they are relieved from the pressure (压力) of having to study 　　9    they enter and they want to do something else. Taro had been used to a Japanese student’s life style(方式),so he had a   10  time for the first few months in the U. S. ?

1. A. until　　　　 　　   B. since　　　　 　　  C. before　　      　　  D. after?

2. A. Chinese　　  　　   B. Russian　　　　  C. American　　  　　      D. English?

3. A. yourselves    　　  B. themselves　　 　　 C. ourselves　　　　   　　  D. itself?

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

5. A. but　　　　  　　  B. than  　　  　　　　C. also　　   　　  　　  D. and?

6. A. wrong　　   　　   B. right　　 　　　　　　  C. well　　　　   　　  D. good?

7. A. difficult　　  　　   B. easy　　　　 　　　　　　  C. good   　　　　　　　　     D. bad?

8. A. since　　    　　   B. for　　　　　　  C. already　　  　　　　     D. almost?

9. A. before　　   　　   B. when　　　　    C. since　　  　　　　　　    D. unless?

10. A. hard　　    　　  B. good　　　　　　 C. easy　　　　 　　      D. free

Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Yes? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I’m afraid you’ll never learn to swim just by reading books about swimming or looking at others swimming. It’s the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice.

Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. The children in English-speaking countries first listen to others. Then they try to imitate(模仿) and speak. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn’t matter. Just be relaxed, try to catch every word.

Somebody may be a good listener. But he is terrified to speak. He’s afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don’t be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone so long as he knows English. Whether you know him or not is not important. When there’s nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It’s interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you’ll make.

Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we’re interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense(语感). This is the most important.

Keep writing English diaries. We can also write English articles. You may even post them to English magazines. Don’t be afraid of failure. Failure is the mother of success.

Easier said than done. Well, let’s do more practice from now on. I’m sure you’ll learn English better in this way.

1.You can learn to swim by_______.

A. reading books about it                                                 B. looking at others swimming

C. having lessons on it                                                      D. going into the water and learning

2.We should learn English by _______.

A. listening and speaking   B. reading and writing      C. swimming               D. A and B

3.What will you do with mistakes when you speak?

A. Don’t make mistakes.                                                   B. Study hard.

C. Don’t be afraid.                                                              D. Try not to speak English.

4.What’s more important for senior school students?

A. Listening.                B. Reading and writing.               C. Speaking.                D. Learning.

5.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. It’s easier to do than to say.

B. Failure is the mother of success.

C. Practice makes perfect.

D. All things are difficult before they are easy.