18. Deng Xiaoping was our general designer of reform and opening up to the outside world(改革开放). After he passed away, his ____were scattered over the sea.

            Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, fundingcuts, and many other administrative chores and started to dream of retirement．Sitting in trafficon a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering．I would imagine spending time withmy grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books．Itold myself that I wouldn't sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anythingrequiring a schedule．

My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me,leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends．On thesecond day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper …On the third day, ...This is retirement? Itried to tell myself that it was just the transition, that those golden moments were right roundthe corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough．But something was missing．

A former colleague asked a favor．A group of students was going to Jamaica to work withchildren in the poorest neighbourhood．Would I interrupt my newfound "happiness" and returnto the students, just this once? One trip．That's all．My bags were packed and by the door．

The trip was very inspiring．I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by thesense of responsibility of the young people on the trip．When I returned home, I offered to workone day a week with a local youth organization．The experience was so positive that I was soonvolunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them intheir voluntary work．

Now，it seems, the tables have turned ．Some days I am the teacher, other days I am thestudent．These young people have reawakened my commitment to social justice issues bychallenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poorand suffer because of greed, corruption and war．Most importantly, they have given me theopportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions．In return, I help them do theircharitable projects overseas．I've gone from running one school to helping oversee theconstruction of schools in twenty-one countries!

1.What did the writer expect to do after he retired?

2.Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica?

3.The underlined part "the tables have turned" （Paragraph 5 ） means that thewriter  ．

4.What does the writer think of his retired life now?

A 10-year-old boy fatally shot his father Friday, striking him several times as he sat in the front seat of a SUV to pick up the boy from his mother’s home for a weekend visit.

The incident happened about 3:45 p.m. on a cul-de-sac (死胡同)in the 1700 block of Cedar Cove Court, said Sgt. B. E. Williams of the Harris County Sheriff’s Department.

An investigation found that Rick James Lohstroh, 41, was shot by his son, who was sitting in the back seat of the man’s Toyota 4-Runner, said Sgt. B. E. Williams of the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. The shooting took place outside the home of Lohstroh’s ex-wife, where the boy lives with his mother and a 7-year-old brother.

“We’re not certain of anything until we finish our investigation,” Williams said. “The information we have at this time is that the 10-year-old did fire the weapon.”

The mother and the 7-year-old were inside the house when the shooting occurred, said Williams.

Williams said the gun belonged to the boy’s mother. After firing shots through the back seat, the boy exited(退出) the back of the vehicle and continued to fire at the car.

The man died on the way to Memorial Herman Hospital. Lohstroh was a doctor at the University of Texas Medical Branch. The man and woman shared custody（监护）of the children. Williams said the mother and the boy were still in the home talking to investigators Friday night.

Neighbors described the family as being quiet and keeping to themselves.

Justin Gray, 17, was walking in the neighborhood when he heard gunshots. “We’ve had a suicide（自杀）in this neighborhood once, but never anything like this,” Gray said.

1. The best title for the news should be         .

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the news?

3.What can we infer from the report?

4.The reason why the boy shot his father      .

—The old man looks healthy.

—Yes. He________ some running after he gets up.

Children are losing the ability to play properly because they are being given too many toys and games, according to new research.

    The studies show that children, especially those under five, are often overwhelmed and actually play less than those with fewer toys. It may even harm their development. The studies show that giving children too many toys or toys of the wrong type can actually be doing them harm. They get overwhelmed and cannot concentrate on anything long enough to learn from it.

    The conclusions have been backed up by British research looking at children with relatively fewer toys, whose parents spend more time reading, singing or playing with them. It showed such children surpass(胜过) youngsters from richer backgrounds, even those who could use computers.

    Some parents notice the ill effect early. Orhan Ismail, a researcher saw a change for the worse in Cameron, his 10-month-old son, after he was given a lot of toys last Christmas.

    Ismail said, “ If there are too many toys in front of him, he will just keep flitting around them and then end up going off and finding something like a slipper to play with. Now we just get out one or two toys and hide the rest in a box.”

    Alexander and her husband also decided to limit the toys their 6 daughters play with. She believed many toys restrict children’s imaginations. She said, “ A Barbie can only work as a Barbie. But a cardboard box can become anything. The only limitations are in the child’s mind.”

    Experts hesitate to put a figure on the number of toys children should have, but many believe two dozen is enough for children of preschool age.

1. In the writer’s opinion, a Barbie _____.

   A. can attract more attention from children than a cardboard box

   B. can work more than a Barbie

   C. may become anything else such as a cardboard

   D. may keep children from further imaginations

2. Which of the following is TRUE about toys given to children?

   A. too many toys will help children develop wide interests.

   B. One or two toys at a time will help children concentrate.

   C. Only wrong types of toys do harm to children.

   D. The proper number of toys given to the children depends on their ages.

3. It may NOT be a good idea to ____.

   A. spend more time reading or playing with children

   B. choose right types of toys for children

   C. ask experts for the exact number of necessary toys

    D. put out one or two toys and hide the rest