How would you like to study at an American university in China? With the news that New York University (NYU) is considering setting up a branch（分校）on Chinese mainland, the possibility of getting an American education becomes a reality. But how will Chinese students deal with a very different style of teaching? One that encourages debate（辩论）, discussion and critical thinking (批判思维)； one which puts little attention on rote learning.

You know how kids ask questions all the time? Asking questions shows they are curious (好奇). So when does that natural curiosity get weak? Not at kindergarten or nursery, nor at primary school. As you grow older perhaps refusing to draw attention to yourself by asking the teacher questions, you grow quiet. If so, that's a pity, because questioning your teachers should be encouraged. After all, they're the ones who've been educated, have a lot more experience than you and perhaps have a little wisdom. When I taught joumalim at college in Scotland I enjoyed answering students' questions. Some of them raised difficult questions. I didn't always know the answers. If I didn't, I'd accept it and try to find out later.

At university we were encouraged to challenge our classmates and teachers. There was often a regular meeting between teachers and some students. A student would prepare a paper on a subject and the other students would criticize it. It could be frightening. But it was a way of developing critical thinking.

We need to differentiate critical thinking with loudmouths. We've all come across loudmouths who speak out quickly as if they knew what they were talking about. I know one loudmouth who is paid a great deal of money by a British tabloid newspaper to entertain readers with his deeply-held prejudices(偏见). You might not agree with columnist(专栏作家) Richard Littlejohn, but you have to say that he is entertaining and there is an internal logic（内在的逻辑）to his statements. Having a logical mind can help develop critical thinking.

My wife doesn't have a logical mind, but she does have emotional intelligence（情商）. I can't say that I have anything like her emotional intelligence. but I'd like to think some of it rubbed off on me. If you can't at least try to put yourself in someone else's shoes, how can you understand their situation, their problems and issues?

So try to develop your powers of critical thinking. Start with books, films, music and newspapers. And don't believe everything you read or see. Think independently.

57. According to the passage, to develop your critical thinking, you can____________.

A. keep curious and follow your heart

B. think logically, not emotionally

C. do more reading and think actively

D. voice your opinion like a loudmouth

58. The underlined words 66rubbed off on mc" in Paragraph 5 probably mean " __________".

A. helped me solve the problem better

B. had some influence on me in a way

C. moved it backwards and forwards

D. advised me to wear others' shoes

59. What can be the best title for the passage?

A. Want to be different? Think critically

B. Want to be critical? Think for yourself

C. Choose NYU, choose critical thinking

D. Importance of improving critical thinking

When Ron Clark began teaching in 1995, his teacher gave him this advice, “If you can  1  the life of one child, you’ll be a success.” Up to now, Ron still doesn’t agree with that advice. When Ron entered a class, he decided to change every student’s life for the better.

Ron never planned on being a teacher. After  2 , he travelled around the world, living a life  3  of adventures(冒险), but after getting terribly sick, he went back to his hometown, North Carolina. Then he got  4  again and taught at a school there. “From then on it was like magic — I fell in love with teaching.” said Ron. After five years of teaching, he heard that some schools in East Harlem, New York were failing because there were  6  good teachers. “At that moment I had a(n)  6— it was like a calling,” he said. “And so I said, ‘I’m going to do it.”

Before school started, Ron went to every single student’s home to  7  with their families. He gave his students his home phone number, so if they had any  8  with their homework, they could call him. To connect with his students, Ron knew he should use special  9  of teaching. He learned to play funny games with them, gave them  10  lessons, and spent his time showing students  11  New York’s tourist attractions. His students studied harder and behaved better in  12 .

Because of his  13  in North Carolina and Harlem, Ron Clark has become one of the most successful teachers in America. And his book called The Essential 55, more than  14  else, has become very popular in the world.

Sold in over 25  15 , The Essential 55 has encouraged teachers around the world to influence the lives of all of their students. Ron Clark is now starting a new school in Atlanta, Georgia — probably his biggest adventure!

1.                A．live            B．influence       C．make D．choose

2.                A．school         B．work           C．class D．college

3.                A．filled           B．fond           C．proud    D．full

4.                A．terrible         B．well            C．sick  D．pleased

5.                A．some          B．few            C．many D．more

6.                A．feeling         B．idea           C．view D．mind

7.                A．play           B．study           C．deal D．meet

8.                A．information     B．advice          C．task  D．trouble

9.                A．ways           B．goals           C．rules D．aims

10.               A．friendly        B．nicely          C．lively D．lovely

11.               A．across         B．along          C．around    D．at

12.               A．subject         B．lesson          C．return D．score

13.               A．effects         B．affects         C．works D．efforts

14.               A．anywhere       B．anyone         C．anything   D．nothing

15.               A．towns          B．cities          C．countries  D．universities

   “How are you?” is a nice question. It’s a friendly way that people in the United States greet each other. But “How are you?” is also a very unusual question. It’s a question that often doesn’t have an answer. The person who asks “How are you?” hopes to hear the answer “Fine”, even if the person’s friend isn’t fine. The reason is that “How are you?” isn’t really a question and “Fine” isn’t really an answer. They are simply other ways of saying “Hello” or “Hi”.

  Sometimes, people don’t say what they mean, either. For example, when someone asks “Do you agree?”, the other person might be thinking, “No, I disagree, I think you are wrong …” But it isn’t very polite to disagree so strongly, so the other person might say “I’m not sure.” It’s a nicer way to say that you don’t agree with someone.

   People also don’t say exactly what they are thinking when they finish talking with other people. For example, many talks over the phone finish when one person says “I’ve to go now.” often, the person who wants to stop gives an excuse: “Someone’s at the door.” “Something is burning on the stove.” The excuses might be real, or it might not. Perhaps the person who wants to hang up simply doesn’t want to talk any more, but it isn’t polite to say that. The excuse is more polite, and it doesn’t hurt the other person.

  Whether they are greeting each other, talking about an idea, or finishing a talk, people often don’t say exactly what they are thinking. It’s an important way that people try to be nice to each other, and it’s all part of the game of language.

35. If you have different opinions from someone, it is polite to say “_______”.

   A. You’re wrong                        B. I’m not so sure if you are right

   C. Of course, I disagree                  D. No, I don’t agree with you

36. Which of the following is a polite way to finish a talk?

   A. I have no time to talk with you now.     B. I want to stop.

   C. I have to go now.                     D. I don’t want to talk any more.

37. According to the passage, when a person says “Something is burning on the stove”, it

means that _______.

   A. he is giving an excuse                      B. he is hurting someone’s feelings

   C. he is talking to a person at the door          D. he is going to another place

38. One of the rules of the game of language is probably ________.

   A. “Always say what you mean”               B. “Don’t disagree with people”

   C. “Usually say exactly what you are thinking”  D. “Be polite”

　　 “How are you?” is a nice question .It is a friendly way that people in the United States greet each other.But “How are you?” is also a very unusual question.

It is a question that often doesn't need an answer. The person who asks “How are you?” hopes to hear the answer “fine”,even if the person's friend is not fine. The reason is that “How are you?” is not really a question and “fine ”isnot really an answer.They are simply other ways of saying “Hello”or “Hi”.

　　 Sometimes people also do not say exactly what they mean.　 For example ,when someone asks “do you agree ?” the other person might think “No,I disagree,I think you are wrong…”But it is not very polite to disagree so strongly,so the other person might say “I am not sure.” It is a nicer way to say that you do not agree with someone.

People also do not say exactly what they are thinking when they finish talking with other people. For example,many talks over the phone finish when one person says “ I have to go now.” The person who wants to hang up often gives an excuse.“someone is at the door.”“something is burning on the stove.” The excuses might be real,or not. Perhaps the person who wants to hang up simply does not want to talk any more,but it is not polite to say that. The excuse is more polite,and it does not hurt the other person.

Wherther they are greeting each other,talking about an idea,or finishing a talk, people do not say exactly what they are thinking .It is an important way that people try to be nice to each other,and it is a part of the game of language.

(　　 )36. When a person in the USA asks “How are you?”,he or she wants to hear　　　 “_____”

A.How are you B. Hello　 C. I do not know. D. Fine.

(　　 )37. When a person disagrees with someone,it is polite to say“_____”

A.You are wrong,I disagree.　 B. I am not sure.

C.I am sue I disagree. D.No, I disagree.

(　　 )38.A polite way to finish a talk is to say　 “_____”

A.You have to go now.　 B. I want to hang up.

C. I have to go now.　　 D. I do not want to talk any more.

(　　 )39. When a person says “I have to go now.”“someone is at the door.”,the person may be _____.

A. giving an excuse　 B. hurting someone's feeling.

C. ill in bed. D. asking you a question.

(　 ) 40. What does the rule of the game of language probably mean?

A. Be polite. B. Donot disagree with people.

C.Always say what you mean . D. Never say exactly what you are thinking.