Why play games? Because they are fun, and a 1ot more besides. Following the rules…planning your next move...acting as a team member…these are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.

Think about some off the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作) .

Many children’s games have a practical side Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones. Which sharpens the hand-eye coordination（协调）needed in hunting.

Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.

Sports are  also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it — some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.

Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.

Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to ________.

A. be a team leader                                          B. obey the basic rules

C. act as a grown-up                                         D. predict possible danger

The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can________.

A. describe life in an exciting way      

B. turn real-life experiences into a play

C. make learning life skills more interesting

D. change people’s views of sporting event s

According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?

A. It inspires people’s deep love for the country. 

B. It proves the exceptional skills of the winners.

C. It helps the country out of natural disasters.   

D. It earns the winners fame and fortune.

Iribarne’s goal of forming the foundation is to _______.

A. bring fun to poor kids                           B. provide soccer balls for children

C. give poor kids a chance for a better life         

D. appeal to soccer players to help poor kids

What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Games benefit people all their lives.

B. Sports can get all athletes together.

C. People are advised to play games for fun.             

D. Sports increase a country’s competitiveness.

Gu Changwei was the first Chinese cinematographer to be nominated (提名) for an Oscar, he is regarded by Zhang Yimou as the best cinematographer in China. Gu was behind the camera for many of Zhang Yimou’s famous films including the one that rocketed Zhang to fame: “Red Sorghum (高粱)”. And now this master of the visual has taken on his first directing role with the film “Peacock”. So Gu Changwei has come out from behind the camera into the spotlight (聚光灯).

Gu Changwei is very serious about his directing “Peacock”. To get the authentic atmosphere, Gu took his film crew to the city of Anyang in central China’s Henan province where the story takes place, to shoot the film. He chose all new actors because he didn’t want “star” appeal to weaken the power of the story, and he also had his actors trained in the local dialect. For this film Gu has been able to get out from behind the camera to manage every aspect of the film, and to realize his own ideals in movie-making.

“Peacock” is about the life of an average family in a small town in Henan province in the late 70s and early 80s. Gu chose this story for his first movie because he grew up during this same period and it struck a chord with him.

“Peacock” wrapped up production in June, 2004. It’s aimed at the foreign film market and will be entered in February’s Berlin Film Festival, and released in China at the same time. But at the end of last October, Gu took “Peacock” to his Alma Mater, the Beijing Film Academy, one of the most famous film colleges in China, to hold a preview. The film was warmly received by both teachers and students.

The underlined word “cinematographer” refers to a person who _____.

       A. has been nominated for an Oscar            B. uses a camera to shoot films

       C. directs first-class films                           D. arranges for cinema shows

Gu didn’t employ “stars” in his film because _____.

A. stars usually stick to their own acting styles

B. the stars may not be able to speak the local dialect

C. the stars may share the audience’s attention with the story

D. it was not easy for him, a fresh hand, to invite stars to join him

Gu chose such a story for his first movie because _____.

A. he was born in the early 1970s              

B. he grew up in Henan province

C. he was popular in Henan province     

D. the story had to do with his own experience

From the passage we can learn that “Peacock” _____.

A. is the film for which Gu is likely to win an Oscar prize

B. has already become popular both at home and abroad

C. has its production started last summer

D. will be publicly shown in spring, 2005

Please choose a proper title for this passage.

A. From behind the camera into the spotlight

B. Chinese cinematographer to be nominated for Oscar

C. New faces to appear in “Peacock”

D. “Peacock” to enter foreign film market

There are quite a few advantages of wearing school uniforms. The idea may seem disagreeable at first, but considering all the positive effective coming from wearing uniforms you would be more likely to enjoy them.

Teachers love school uniforms because it helps provide an orderly learning environment. Having students dressed in uniforms may teach them how to present themselves in a neat（整洁的）and professional manner. It gives students the opportunity to learn how to dress like young ladies and gentleman. And they can focus their attention on academics rather than style.

Purchasing school uniforms is easy and needs less hesitation(犹豫) and consideration. No matter what the school’ s policy is, there are only specific essential(基本的) pieces to the wardrobe（服装） that are necessary, so it won’t break the bank. A few wardrobe items can last a long time. Parents could also enjoy an easy morning, as it will take less time to choose a set of clothes for the school day.

Students wearing uniforms will feel less pressure about what to wear or not to wear when their classmates are dressed similarly. Getting dressed before school becomes less of a chore when students are limited in their choices, so there shouldn’t be any trouble about choosing an outfit for the day and getting ready quickly. Some students may not like the lack of individuality(个性) with a uniform, but some school dress code policies may offer them the opportunities to show their unique styles.

Uniforms today are also becoming trendier and can be seen in many areas of pop culture. Celebrities and fashion designers are using uniforms as inspiration for new looks which also appeal to students.

1.What would be the best title for the text?

A. How to dress properly.

B. The history of school uniforms.

C. The advantages of school uniforms.

D. How to deal with pressure in school.

2.Teachers think that wearing school uniforms ________________.

A. is just a tradition that students should follow

B. makes students feel less pressure in study

C. helps students put more effort into their studies

D. makes students lose their independence and identity

3.The underlined part “it won’t break the bank” in Paragraph 3 probably means “___________”.

A. a school uniform doesn’t cost a lot of money

B. a school uniform should be worn every day

C. parents will have to go to the bank many times

D. parents who work in a bank can afford the uniform

4.We can infer from the text that school uniforms _________.

A. are not popular with fashion designers

B. were not accepted by parents in the past

C. will be designed by students themselves

D. will be more fashionable in the future

5.The author’s attitude towards students’ wearing school uniforms is ___________.

A. negative    B. supportive     C. doubtful     D. unclear

 

Why do people buy art? To answer this question, ask yourself what your reasons are for thinking of getting a piece of art. An artwork can cost a large amount of money, but if it meets your needs, it’s worth every penny. 

People buy art for many reasons. Many people buy an artwork simply because they like it, even if it is by an unknown artist. Art, as long as you enjoy it, is never a waste of money.

Art is for enjoyment. Art is meant to be shown. Don’t ever feel pressured into buying something you won’t enjoy looking at day after day, no matter what other people may say. Don’t buy something that doesn’t attract you just because it is trendy, or because the artist is famous, or because you have been advised that the artwork will make a good investment. If you don’t like the artwork at all, don’t buy it!

Art improves your environment. Have you ever noticed that all beautiful homes have art as an integral（必需的） part of the decoration? Art lends life and color to otherwise plain and ordinary walls. A well thought--out art collection will help create a unique atmosphere in your home and make it more attractive.

Art makes a statement. The kind of art you surround yourself with says much about your personality tastes and values. Art truly is a mirror of the soul.

Art enriches your life. Love--even the love of a work of art--contributes to healthier living and a longer lifespan (寿命). Art should enrich your life. Otherwise, why do you spend precious time and resources on it?

Just remember to select something which will appeal to your tastes, and keep to a sensible budget. Good art needn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Happy art collecting!

1.What’s the purpose of the passage?

A. To advise us to buy an expensive artwork.

   B. To remind us to be sensible when buying an artwork.

   C. To teach us how to choose works of art.

   D. To explain the benefit of art to people.

2.According to the author, what should you consider when buying a piece of art?

   A. Whether it brings pleasure to you.

   B. Whether it is fashionable at present.

   C. Whether you can profit from it in the end.

   D. Whether it is created by a famous artist.

3.Which of the following words best describes a work of art placed in a house?

   A. ordinary  B. attractive  C. necessary  D. unique

4.The underlined sentence in Paragraph 5 means that ____.

   A. art can show what you look like

   B. art is an expression of yourself

   C. a mirror has a feature similar to art

   D. a mirror can be a piece of true art

 

High school dropouts（辍学者）earn an average of $ 9,000 less per year than graduates. Now a new study dispels a common belief why they quit. It’s much more basic than flunking out（不及格）.

Society tends to think of high school dropouts as kids who just can’t cut it. They are lazy，and perhaps not two bright．So researchers were surprised when they asked more than 450 kids who quit school about why they left.

“The vast majority actually had passing grades and they were confident that they could have graduated from high school.” John Bridgeland, the executive researcher said. About 1 million teens leave school each year. Only about half of African-American and Hispanic（美籍西班牙的）students will receive a diploma（证书），and actually all dropouts come to regret their decision. So, if failing grades don’t explain why these kids quit, what does? Again，John Bridgeland："The most dependable finding was that they were bored.” “They found classes uninteresting; they weren’t inspired or motivated. They didn’t see any direct connection between what they were learning in the classroom to their own lives, or to their career aspirations.”

The study found that most teens who do drop out wait until they turn sixteen, which happens to be the age at which most states allow students to quit. In the US，only one state，New Mexico，has a law requiring teenagers to stay in high school until they graduate. Only four states: California, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, plus the District of Columbia, require school attendance until age 18, no exceptions, another researcher，says raising the compulsory attendance age may be one way to keep more kids in school．

“As these dropouts look back，they realize they’ve made a mistake. And anything that sort of gives these people an extra push to stick it out and it through to the end, is probably helpful measure.”

New Hampshire may be the next state to raise its school attendance age to 18. But critics say that forcing the students unwilling to continue their studies to stay in school misses the point－the need for reform. It's been called for to reinvent high school education to make it more challenging and relevant, and to ensure that kids who do stick it out receive a diploma that actually means something. 　

68. Most high school students drop out of school because          .

A. they have failing grades     

B. they take no interest in classes

C. they are discriminated against    

D. they are lazy and not intelligent

69. The underlined words “stick it out” probably means“         ”．

A. complete schooling                 B. solve the problem

C. love having classes                         D. believe in themselves

70. In the last paragraph, the writer is trying to          .

A. analyze the reason why students quit school

B. suggest raising the compulsory attendance age

C. raise awareness of reforming high school education

D. wish to make laws to guarantee no education

71. From the passage，we can infer the following EXCEPT that          ．

A. the grades of most dropouts at school were acceptable

B. about 500, 000 high school dropouts are black and Spanish

C. classes don't appeal to dropouts

D. on average dropouts cannot get good jobs