Is early childhood education really necessary? Early childhood education primarily focuses on learning through playing to develop the child’s physical, sensory, communicational and social development．Early childhood education has become a concern of the government, who pushes poor children to be formally trained before they are old enough for Kindergarten．

There are good reasons for the government to push early childhood education．Studies have shown that orphaned children who did not receive good care and education become developmentally delayed causing failure in school, and even in life．Further studies show that poor children who take part in Head Start programs are more prepared for school, less likely to end up in Special Education classes, and are less likely to receive public help or go to jail．

There are also negative parts to putting a child in formal education programs too early．Time Magazine online explains that “the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work．” I have personally witnessed many children of my generation who went to Head Start programs become frustrated and bored with school before they finished high school．Yet parents have been sure that the earlier the child starts school, the better off he or she is, so they push to start children earlier．

Actually while early formal education of poor children does show great gains in the early elementary years, studies also show that this head start is really a “false start”, as the gains are lost in middle and high school years．It seems that environment is a bigger factor on life’s success than early education．Head Start programs have not achieved its original goal in closing the achievement gap in poor and middle school children．Perhaps it is time to find other ways to close that gap．

The purpose of the government valuing the early childhood education is ________．

A．to develop the children’s communication

B．to give orphaned children good care and education

C．to get the children prepared for the kindergarten

D．to train the children formally and regularly

According to the studies, which of the following is True?

A．Children with good early education may have a rich life．

B．The orphaned children are usually unhappy in their life．

C．Children without early education can do well at school．

D．Head Start programs are helpful to the poor children．

“the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work．” suggests that _________．

A．the early childhood education is helpless to the child’s grade

B．it is good for the young children to receive early education

C．the early education can help the children follow the grade

D．the younger the children are, the cleverer they will be

The author’s attitude toward the early childhood education is _________．

A．puzzling             B．objective   C．indifferent      D．approving

The main idea of the last passage is that __________．

A．the early childhood education is very necessary

B．Head Start programs have helped the children a lot

C．environment is the most important to life’s success

D．better ways should be found to help the poor children

A new study of 8,000 young people in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily, it is a bad thing for young people. Puppy love(早恋) may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression(忧郁症). The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys, and younger girls are the worst of all.
The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is “loss of self”. According to the study, even though boys would say “lose themselves in a romantic relationship”, this “loss of self” is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls. Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions. They won’t tell that to their parents.
Dr. Marianm Kaufman, an expert on young people problems, says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing. Trying romance often causes the depression.
She advises kids not to jump into romance too early. During growing up, it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self. She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends, attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family.
Parents should watch for signs of depression---eating or mood changes---and if they see signs from their daughter or son, they need to give help. The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age. Love will always make us feel young, but only maturity(成熟) gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.
57. What’s the main idea of the passage?
A. Puppy love may bring young people depression.
B .Parents should forbid their children’s love lives.
C. Romance is a two-edged sword for adults.
D. Romance is good for young people.
58. Which of the following is more likely to have depression?
A . Young people who have a strong sense of self.
B . Young boys whose parents watch for their behavior.
C. Young girls who always hide their feelings and opinions.
D. Careless parents whose children are deep in love.
59.What can be inferred from the passage?
A .Lacking love can lead young people to grow up more quickly.
B. Early love makes young people keep close to their friends and parents.
C .Parents should help their children to be aware of the signs of depression.
D .The older a woman is, the less likely she seems to lose herself in romance.
60. What’s the author’s attitude towards puppy love?
A. Confused.   B. Disapproving.   C. Disinterested.   D. Scared.  

A new study of 8,000 young people in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily, it is a bad thing for young people. Puppy love(早恋) may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression(忧郁症). The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys, and younger girls are the worst of all.

The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is “loss of self”. According to the study, even though boys would say “lose themselves in a romantic relationship”, this “loss of self” is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls. Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions. They won’t tell that to their parents.

Dr. Marianm Kaufman, an expert on young people problems, says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing. Trying romance often causes the depression.

She advises kids not to jump into romance too early. During growing up, it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self. She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends, attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family.

Parents should watch for signs of depression---eating or mood changes---and if they see signs from their daughter or son, they need to give help. The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age. Love will always make us feel young, but only maturity(成熟) gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.

1.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Puppy love may bring young people depression.

B．Parents should forbid their children’s love lives.

C．Romance is a two-edged sword for adults.

D．Romance is good for young people.

2.Which of the following is more likely to have depression?

A．Young people who have a strong sense of self.

B．Young boys whose parents watch for their behavior.

C．Young girls who always hide their feelings and opinions.

D．Careless parents whose children are deep in love.

3.What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Lacking love can lead young people to grow up more quickly.

B．Early love makes young people keep close to their friends and parents.

C．Parents should help their children to be aware of the signs of depression.

D．The older a woman is, the less likely she seems to lose herself in romance.

4.What’s the author’s attitude towards puppy love?

A．Confused.         B．Disapproving.       C．Disinterested.      D．Scared.

In bringing up children, every parent watches eagerly the child’s acquisition of each new skill-the first spoken words, the first independent steps, or the beginning of reading and writing．It is often tempting to hurry the child beyond his natural learning rate, but this can set up dangerous feelings of failure and states of worry in the child: This might happen at any stage．A baby might be forced to use a toilet too early, a young child might be encouraged to learn to read before he knows the meaning of the words he reads．On the other hand, though, if a child is left alone too much, or without any learning opportunities, he loses his natural enthusiasm for life and his desire to find out new things for himself．

Patents vary greatly in their degree of strictness towards their children．Some may be especially strict in money matters．Others are severe over times of coming home at night or punctuality for meals．In general, the controls imposed represent the needs of the parents and the values of the community as much as the child’s own happiness．

As regards the development of moral standards in the growing child, consistency is very important in parental teaching．To forbid a thing one day and excuse it the next is no foundation for morality．Also, parents should realize that “example is better than precept”．If they are not sincere and do not practice what they teach, their children may grow confused, and emotionally insecure when they grow old enough to think for themselves, and realize they have been to some extent fooled．

A sudden awareness of a marked difference between their parents’ principles and their morals can be a dangerous disappointment．

Eagerly watching the child’s acquisition of new skills _________．

       A．should be avoided            

       B．is universal among parents

       C．sets up dangerous states of worry in the child

       D．will make him lose interest in learning new things

In the process of children’s learning new skills, parents ______．

       A．should encourage them to read before they know the meaning of the words they read

       B．should not expect too much of them

       C．should achieve a balance between pushing them too hard and leaving them on their own

       D．should create as many learning opportunities as possible

The second paragraph mainly tells us that __________．

       A．parents should be strict with their children

       B．parental controls reflect only the needs of the parents and the values of the community

       C．parental restrictions vary, and are not always intended for the benefit of the children alone

       D．parents vary in their strictness towards their children according to the situation

In moral matters, parents should __________．

       A．observe the rules themselves

       B．be aware of the marked difference between adults and children

       C．forbid things which have no foundation in morality

       D．consistently ensure the security of their children

I arrived at the bus station much too early for the London bus, which was not to leave until five to twelve. I pushed through the crowds, looking for somewhere to sit down. Scores of people were standing about, or struggling along with their bags and the cases to find the right lines. There was a party of school girls. I could see teachers trying to keep them in order. But there was nowhere for me to sit.
I stepped into the station buffet. I looked up at the clock there. It was only twenty to twelve. I found a seat opposite a large mirror on the wall. Just then a friend of mine called Jim came in and sat with me. "What time is your bus?" asked Jim. "Oh, there's a plenty of time yet," I answered. "Oh, I'll get some drinks then," said Jim. We talked while drinking. Then I looked at the clock again. "Good heavens! It's going backward!" I cried. "A moment ago it was twenty to twelve and now it's half past eleven." "You are looking at the clock in the mirror," said Jim. I could kick myself for being so stupid. I had not realized that the marks for one and eleven on the face of the clock were the same. The next bus was not to leave for another hour. I have never liked mirror since then.
【小题1】 The London bus left ________.