I might be letting my young son watch too much television. I am certainly watching too much many of his programs. They can really be puzzling as they force you to ponder the mysteries of life.

For example, when Franklin (the turtle) wanted a pet, his parents did not want it to be a frog. They felt that frogs belong in a pond. Isn’t that where turtles belong? And why is it that Little Bear’s animal friends can all talk and behave like people, but his friend Emily has a dog that can only bark and fetch? Tell me that isn’t a mystery!

Dog lovers can be reassured (less worried or frightened) by Kipper and his friends. These dogs are very human. However, the only time they wear clothes is when they put on bathing suits to go swimming. I am confused! Speaking of dogs, could Pluto ever be Goofy’s pet? I don’t get it! What did the great Mr. Disney have in mind?

And this is unfair! The other day we watched a very nice little pig setting up a picnic. One of the foods was a big ham. Could it have been a soybeam ham? Is there such a thing? I hope so! Another thing that really bothers me: what if Elmo(one of my son’s favorite cartoon stars) isn’t real? He can’t be a mere puppet(木偶)! He’s got a better attitude than most people. I just keep wondering.

I think we will turn off the TV and go out for a walk. Maybe we will run into that mouse who dresses well but certainly doesn’t speak as clearly as the average bear.

1. The underline sentence “ponder the mysteries of life” in the first paragraph means         ____.

A. avoid the mysteries of living things.

B. remember the mysteries of all kinds of life style.

C. consider the mysteries of living things. 

D. discover the mysteries of all kinds of life style.

2. The author thinks it is “unfair” when      ____.

A. a pig has a picnic because pigs are dirty animals

B. a pig eats soy beans because soy beans give pigs gas

C. a pig eats ham because ham is too expensive for farmer animals

D. a pig eats ham because ham is made from pigs.

3. The author probably      ____.

A. believes that Elmo is a real creature

B. wishes that Elmo were a real live creature

C. feels that Elmo is very annoying creature

D. won’t let is son watch Sesame Street

4. The author is implying that      ____.

A. there is a TV mouse that should speak more clearly

B. TV mice should not wear good clothes

C. bears can really speak more clearly than mice

D. watching television isn’t better than playing outdoors    

 

Perhaps the most famous theory, the study of body movement, was suggested by Professor Ray Birdwhistell. He believes that physical appearance is often culturally programmed. In other words, we learn our looks—we are not born with them. A baby has generally informed face features. A baby, according to Birdwhistell, learns where to set the eyebrows by looking at those around-family and friends. This helps explain why the people of some areas of the United States look so much alike, new Englanders or Southerners have certain common face features that cannot be explained by genetics(遗传学). The exact shape of the mouth is not set at birth, it is learned after. In fact, the final mouth shape is not formed until well after new teeth are set. For many, this can be well into grown-ups. A husband and wife together for a long time often come to look alike. We learn our looks from those around us. This is perhaps why in a single country area where people smile more than those in other areas. In the United States, for example, the South is the part of the country where the people smile most frequently. In New England they smile less, and in the western part of New York State still less. Many southerners find cities such as New York cold and unfriendly, partly because people on Madison Avenue smile less than people on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. Georgia. People in Atlanta, Georgia. People in largely populated areas also smile and greet each other in public less than people in small towns do.

Ray Birdwhistell believes that physical appearance _______.

A. has little to do with culture    B. has much to do with culture

C. is ever changing             D. is different from place to place

According to the passage, the final mouth shape is formed _______.

A. before birth                                          B. as soon as one’s teeth are newly set

C. sometime after new teeth are set      D. around 15 years old

Ray Birdwhistell can tell what area of the United States a person is from by _______.

A. how much he or she laughs             B. how he or she raises his or her eyebrows

C. what he or she likes best                 D. the way he or she talks

This passage might have been taken out of a book dealing with ________.

A. physics       B. chemistry           C. biology             D. none of the above

Have you ever stayed up late? If so, you know that not getting enough sleep can leave you tired and grumpy . Not sleeping enough can also make it harder to think clearly the next day.

Sleep experts have long known that getting a good night’s sleep is important.

It helps kids perform their best during the day. A recent study shows that sleep helps improve problem--- solving skills and creative thinking.

For the study, two groups of volunteers answered a math problem. The group that slept for eight hours solved the problem correctly more often than the group that did not get enough sleep.

While you sleep, your brain is busy doing its “homework”. It sorts out information from your day. Getting enough sleep each night can boost your brainpower. That will help you do your best in school. Experts say that, in return, can lead to better grades.

1.What is the best title for the passage?

A．Too Much Sleep	B．It’s Homework Time
C．Sleep to Succeed	D．Math Problems

2.The underlined word “boost” in paragraph 5 means ________.

A．reduce	B．improve
C．disturb	D．worsen

3.Why is sleep important?

A．It can improve problem-solving skills and creative thinking

B．It will help you do your best in school

C．It helps your brain sort out information from your day.

D．All of the above

4. What did the results of a recent sleep study show?

A．People who sleep enough are good at math

B．Sleep is important for learning

C．If you get enough sleep, you don’t have to do your homework

D．Adults need more sleep than kids

 

Perhaps the most famous theory, the study of body movement, was suggested by Professor Ray Birdwhistell. He believes that physical appearance is often culturally programmed. In other words, we learn our looks—we are not born with them. A baby has generally informed face features. A baby, according to Birdwhistell, learns where to set the eyebrows by looking at those around-family and friends. This helps explain why the people of some areas of the United States look so much alike, new Englanders or Southerners have certain common face features that cannot be explained by genetics(遗传学). The exact shape of the mouth is not set at birth, it is learned after. In fact, the final mouth shape is not formed until well after new teeth are set. For many, this can be well into grown-ups. A husband and wife together for a long time often come to look alike. We learn our looks from those around us. This is perhaps why in a single country area where people smile more than those in other areas. In the United States, for example, the South is the part of the country where the people smile most frequently. In New England they smile less, and in the western part of New York State still less. Many southerners find cities such as New York cold and unfriendly, partly because people on Madison Avenue smile less than people on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. Georgia. People in Atlanta, Georgia. People in largely populated areas also smile and greet each other in public less than people in small towns do.
【小题1】 Ray Birdwhistell believes that physical appearance ____.

A．has little to do with culture	B．has much to do with culture
C．is ever changing	D．is different from place to place

【小题2】According to the passage, the final mouth shape is formed ___.

A．before birth	B．as soon as one’s teeth are newly set
C．sometime after new teeth are set	D．around 15 years old

【小题3】 Ray Birdwhistell can tell what area of the United States a person is from by ___.

A．how much he or she laughs	B．how he or she raises his or her eyebrows
C．what he or she likes best	D．the way he or she talks

【小题4】 This passage might have been taken out of a book dealing with ___.

A．physics

B．chemistry

C．biology

D．none of the above

Many people say pennies are not worth saving. After all, a penny is only worth a cent. But one unusual penny turned out to be worth a lot more when a coin collector paid $1.7 million for it earlier this month.
The coin is one of a kind. It is the only penny that the Denver mint(铸币厂) made out of copper, instead of steel, in 1943. Because it is unique, it is also very valuable. No penny has ever sold for so much money.
The Changing Penny
The Lincoln penny first appeared in 1909. For 34 years, the one-cent coin was made out of copper. Then, in 1943, the penny changed. World War II was going on, and copper was needed for equipment. So for one year, pennies were made out of steel instead. At least most of them were.
Only a few coins were made out of unused copper. There are three main mints, or places where coins are made, in the United States. Of the known copper pennies from 1943, twelve were made in the Philadephia mint, and five were made in the San Francisco mint. Only one was made in the Denver mint.
Nobody knows for sure why a copper penny was made at the Denver mint in 1943, coin dealers Andy Skrabalak told Time for Kids. “There is a rumor that a mint employee made the coin in the middle of the night.”
A Special Set
The coin collector who bought the $1.7 million penny wants to remain unknown. But the reason for the trade is known. He already had two copper pennies from 1943 – one from the San Francisco mint and one from the Philadephia mint. To complete the set, he needed the Denver penny. The three coins will go on display at a coin exhibition in Tampa, Florida.
The collector who sold the penny is also keeping his name a secret. It took four years to convince him to give up the rare coin. Now that he has finally donating all of the money to charity.
【小题1】Why is the Lincoln penny worth over one million dollars?
A. Because it has a history of thirty-four years.
B. Because it was made out of a rare material.
C. Because it was made on one night of 1943 by the Denver mint.
D, Because it was the only coin Denver mint made out of copper in 1943.
【小题2】Before the Lincoln penny was sold, people thought one-cent coins __________.

A．were worth collecting for selling later

B．were surely valuable if not made out of steel

C．wouldn’t be sold for large amounts of money

D．were only useful for some coin museums

【小题3】At least how many copper coins were made in 1943?

A．Five

B．Twelve

C．Seventeen

D．Eighteen

【小题4】What can we learn about the collector who sold the penny?

A．He already had two copper pennies from 1943.

B．He wanted to complete the set of copper pennies.

C．He didn’t want to sell his penny in the beginning.

D．He was a well-known coin dealer in Tampa, Horida.