B

As an effect of the high fuel prices spent on bus transportation, some American schools are changing to a four-day week. That means longer days instead of the traditional Monday through Friday schedule.

Having been approved for three years and beginning in the fall, students in the Maccray school district in Minnesota will be in school from Tuesday to Friday. Each school day will be 65 minutes longer. Officials say the district expects to save about sixty-five thousand dollars a year in transportation costs.

In new Mexico, the first school district changed to a four-day week in 1974 because of the Arab oil boycott(抵制). Now, 17 out of 89 districts use it.

In Custer, South Dakota, students have been going to school four days a week since 1995. Superintendent Tim Creal says the change has saved about one million dollars over just the past eight years. He sees other benefits, too. Students get more instructional time, and activities that used to take up class time are now held on non-school days. He says that in the future, the growth of online classes could make it possible to require even fewer days in school. High fuel prices are driving college students to take more online classes.

A four-day school week sounds like a great idea for students and teachers, but working parents may have to pay for child care for that fifth day.

1.According to Tim Creal, what makes it possible to have even fewer days in school?

A．The increasing number of private tutors.(私人教师)

B．The development of teaching methods.

C．The increase in the number of online classes.

D．The growth in the income of Americans.

2. It can be learned from the passage that______

A．students will be in school from Monday to Tuesday.

B．four-day week was first carried out in South Dakota.

C．Maccray will save one million dollars every year.

D．Minnesota state has approved the four-day week plan

3.The passage is mainly about______

A．some school’s four-day week plan         B．districts using a four-day week.

C．how to save on transportation fees.          D．expense of school transportation.

 

The tasty cream-filled golden sponge(海绵) cakes have been an American favorite for decades. These are just a few of the sugary treats made by the beloved Hostess brand. But after more than 80 years, Americans have to say goodbye to these iconic (标志性的) desserts. Early last week, Hostess announced it is going out of business.

   "Many people have worked unbelievably long and hard to keep this from happening," said Hostess CEO Gregory F. Rayburn. "Hostess Brand has no other alternative than to begin the process of getting down and preparing for the sale of our iconic brands." Along with Twinkles (奶油蛋糕) and Wonder Bread, cupcakes and other sugary treats may disappear from the shelves.

   In the past decade, Hostess has experienced difficulties with its management and high labor costs. The company had money troubles in the past, but this time there was no way to recover. Along with the loss of sugary treats comes the loss of nearly 20,000 jobs. Hostess fans hope that another company will buy out the Hostess.

  The downfall of Hostess is due not just to the company's financial problems, but also to a changing America. Our country's tastes and lifestyles are not the same as they were eighty years ago. Americans have become more health-conscious, and they are demanding more healthful food products. As a manufacturer of high-calorie products, Hostess does not fit into this new way of life.

   To make matters worse for Hostess, Americans do not eat as much bread as they once did. "More and more people are choosing one-dish meals," said Harry Balzar. "The tradition of bread as a side dish is going out." Americans are finding alternatives to their morning toast too. Instead they’re choosing quick snacks like yogurt and energy bars.

  Will Twinkles become an image of a bygone(过去的) America? Hostess fans hope that it will secure its spot on supermarket shelves for years to come. We can only wait. And maybe eat fruit for dessert instead.

1. What caused Hostess to be in trouble in the last 10 years? (no more than 7 words)

_____________________________________________________________________

2. Can you list three disappearing sugary desserts by Hostess? (no more than 5 words)

_____________________________________________________________________

3.What makes Hostess's situation more severe? (no more than 9 words)

_____________________________________________________________________

4. What's the hope of Hostess fans about this spongy snack's future? (no more than 20 words)

_____________________________________________________________________

 

Most people around the world are right-handed . This also seems to be true in history . In 1799 , scientists studied works of art made at different times from 1,500 B.C. to the 1950s . Most of the people shown in these works are right-handed , so the scientists guessed that right-handedness has always been common through history . Today , only about 10% to 15% of the world’s population is left-handed .

Why are there more right-handed people than left-handed ones ? Scientists now know that a person’s two hands each have their own jobs . For most people , the left hand is used to find things or hold things . The right hand is used to work with things. This is because of the different work of the two sides of the brain . The right side of the brain , which makes a person’s hands and eyes work together , controls the left person’s hands and eyes work together , controls the left hand . The left-side of the brain , which controls the right hand , is the centre for thinking and doing problems . These findings show that more artists should be left-handed , and studies have found that left-handedness is twice as common among artists as among people in other jobs .

No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed instead of left-handed . Scientists have found that almost 40% of the people become left-handed because their main brain is damaged when they are born . However , this doesn’t happen to everyone , so scientists guess there must be another reason why people become left-handed . One idea is that people usually get right-handed from their parents . If a person does not receive the gene（基因）for right-handedness , he / she may become either right-handed or left-handed according to the chance and the people they work or live with .

Though right-handedness is more common than left-handedness , people no longer think left-handed people are strange or unusual . A long time ago , left-handed children were made to use their right hands like other children , but today they don’t have to .

1. After studying works of art made at different times in history , the scientists found       .

A. art began from 1, 500 B.C.

B. the works of are ended in the 1950s

C. most people shown in the works of art are right-handed

D. most people shown in the works of art are left-handed

2.How many people in the world are left-handed now ?

A．Less than one sixth .	B．More than a half .
C．About 40% .	D．The passage doesn’t tell us .

3.What is the left hand for most people used to do ?

A．It’s used to find or hold things .

B．It’s used to work with things .

C．It’s used to make a person’s eyes work together .

D．It’s the centre for thinking and doing problems .

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

A．No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed .

B．Left-handedness is cleverer than right-handedness .

C．Today children are not made to use their right hands only .

D．Scientists think there must be some reason why people become left-handed .

5. The best title for this passage is       .

A．Scientist’s New Inventions

B．Left-handed People

C．Which Hand

D．Different Brains , Different Hands

 

The television news feature about Ben Heckmann, an eighth grader from Farmington, Minn, was breathless in its praise. “At 14, he has accomplished something many adults can’t achieve,” the reporter said, “Ben is a twice-published author.” But Ben’s two “Velvet Black” books, describing a fictional rock band, were not picked from a pile of manuscripts（手稿）by an eagle eyed publisher. They were self-published, at the cost of $400 by Ben’s parents.

Over the past five years, print-on-demand technology and a growing number of self publishing companies whose books can be sold online have inspired writers of all ages to avoid the traditional gatekeeping system for determining who could call himself a “published author.”

The mothers and fathers who foot the bill say they are simply trying to encourage their children, in the same way that other parents buy equipment for a promising baseball player. But others see self-publishing as a lost opportunity to teach children about hardship and perseverance. Mr. Robbins, a critic, thinks it is wonderful to start writing at a young age, but worries self-publishing sends the wrong message. “There are no prodigies(神童) in literature,” he said. “Literature requires experience, in a way that mathematics and music do not.” Alan Rinzler, a publishing industry veteran, suggested parents hire a professional editor like him to work with their child to tear a manuscript apart and help make a better. Ben’s father, Ken, said Ben’s ambitions “weren’t to knock Harry Potter off the list,” but “to get that good feeling inside that you’ve done something.”

Ajla Dizdarevic, 12, who has self-published two books of poetry, has been on television and in local newspapers. “Being a published author,” she said, “was always a dream of mine.” Her new dream: three books by age 15.

1.Which of the following is true of Ben?

A．He has achieved something unusual for his age.

B．His self-published books were well received.

C．His manuscripts were favored by the publisher.

D．He was thought little of by the public media.

2.What makes it possible for writers of all ages to self-publish their works?

A．The rapid increase of online readership.

B．The increasing number of publishers.

C．The immediate access to marketing agencies.

D．The development of printing and publishing.

3.Why do some parents pay the self-publishing bill?

A．They want to offer opportunities to their children.

B．They want to give encouragement to their children.

C．They want to help their children avoid hardship.

D．They want to show love and care for their children.

4.What dose Alan Rinzler suggest that children should do?

A．Be forbidden to write books

B．Start writing at an early age

C．Be professionally guided

D．Learn from experience

5.Why do some children self-publish works according to the last part?

A．Just to achieve their dreams.

B．Just to earn more money.

C．Just to gain self-confidence.

D．Just to satisfy their parents.

 

Researchers found that women are overcome by a burning desire to share gossip（流言蜚语）as soon as they hear it. They will typically tell the secret to at least one other person in 47 hours. Depending on who the gossip is about, their boyfriend, husband, best friend or mother is most likely to be the recipients（接受者）of the information.

    The study of 3,000 women aged between 18 and 65 also found that. four out of ten admitted they were unable to keep a secret—no matter how personal or secret the news was. It was also found that alcohol usually gives us a helping hand to let out secrets—with more than half admitting a glass or two of wine could get them to dish the dirt.

Michael Cox, UK Director of Wines of Chile, said, “It’s official that women can’t keep secrets. We are really eager to find out with this survey how many secrets people are told. What we don’t count on（指望）is how quickly these are passed on by those we trust. No matter how precious the piece of information is, it often comes out within 48 hours.”

    Three quarters say they are able to keep quiet about a secret, and 83 percent consider themselves 100 percent reliable within each group of friends. Yet, four in ten admit to gossiping to a close friend from another friendship group. Nearly half（45 percent）disclose secrets just for the weight to be lifted from their shoulders. More than four in ten think it is acceptable to share a friend’s secret with someone who doesn’t know him or her.

    Private issues, true cost of purchases and affairs emerged top of the secret-keeping list, with girls most likely to share a secret chatting face-to-face, on the phone or via a text message. Fortunately, over a quarter（27 percent）said they forgot what they were told the following day.

1.Please explain the underlined words “dish the dirt” in English. （No more than 5 words.）

2.What makes women more likely pass on gossip? （No more than 3 word.）

3.What kinds of secrets are women most interested in? （No more than 10 words.）

4.Why do about half women tell secrets to others? （No more than 10 words.）

5.Should women tell secrets to others or keep secrets? Please give your reasons. （No more than 30 words.）