It is difficult for parents of nearly every family to teach their children to be responsible （有责任的）for housework, but with one of the following suggestions, you really can get your children to help at home.
　　If you give your children the impression that they can never do anything quite right, then they will regard themselves as unfit or unable persons. Unless children believe they can succeed, they will never become totally independent.
　　My daughter Carla’s fifth - grade teacher made every child in her class feel special. When students received less than a prefect test score, she would point out what they had mastered and declared firmly they could learn what they had missed.
　　You can use the same technique when you evaluate （评价）your child’s work at home. Don’t always scold and give lots of praise instead. Talk about what he has done right, not about what he hasn’t done. If your child completes a difficult task, promise him a Sunday trip or a ball game with Dad.
　　Learning is a process（过程）of trying and failing and trying and succeeding. If you teach your children not to fear a mistake of failure, they will learn faster and achieve success at last.
【小题1】The whole passage deals with ________.

A．social education	B．school education
C．family education	D．pre - school education

【小题2】The author thinks that________.

A．there is no way to get children to help at home

B．the more encouragement and praise you give, the more responsible and helpful children will become

C．it is very difficult to make children responsible for housework

D．children can be forced to help with housework

【小题3】The article gives us a good suggestion about how to evaluate（评价）your child’s work at home. That is to ________.

A．praise his success	B．promise him a trip
C．give him a punishment	D．promise him a ball game

【小题4】The author advises readers to________.

A．learn from himself, for he has a good way of teaching

B．take pride in Carla’s fifth - grade teacher

C．do as what Carla’s teacher did in educating children

D．follow Carla’s example because she never fails in the test

Sitting on a chair all day in school can make anyone want to move around. So, more and more teachers are letting students have a ball. By sitting on exercise balls instead of chairs , teachers find students’ posture(姿势) and attention improve.
Dottie Pownall, a fifth-grade teacher in West Virginia, USA, has been using balls as chairs since December 2008. “The students love them”, she says. Pownall took a survey(调查) of her students. She found that 80% of the students thought sitting on the balls helped them pay more attention to what they were learning.
The teacher, Pisa Witt, felt so strongly about the use of balls as chairs, she started Witt Fitt. This company encourages the use of the balls. And the company educates not only teachers but also students on how to use them. “Our products are used in 24 states, three provinces in Canada, Puerto Rico (波多黎各) and Japan,” says Witt, “ Research shows that sitting on the balls makes them sit up straighter（直的）. You can slouch(低头垂肩地坐)on a ball,” says Witt, “but it feels bad.” Because the students are moving, their blood (血液) increases. That carries more oxygen( 氧气) to the brain , so the kids have more energy and can pay attention longer.
“Besides, they’re fun.” says Pownall.
【小题1】What will happen if a student sits on a chair all day in school? The student will_________.

A．pay more attention to his lessons	B．be fun
C．like to move around	D．sit up straighter

【小题2】How long has Dottie Pownall used the balls?

A．About four years.	B．Only one year.
C．In 2008.	D．Since he was a fifth-grade teacher.

【小题3】In how many countries are the balls used as the students’ chairs?

A．Four.

B．Three.

C．Two.

D．One.

【小题4】Teachers choose balls instead of chairs because sitting on balls helps the kids _________.

A．improve the students’ posture and attention

B．slouch on the chairs

C．have fun

D．Both A and C are correct answers

【小题5】Which is better for kids to study in class, sitting on a chair or sitting on a ball?

A．Sitting on a chair.	B．Sitting on a ball.
C．They are the same.	D．We don’t know.

The art of public speaking began in ancient Greece over 2,000 years ago. Now, twitter, e-mail, blogs and QQ chat offer approaches to communication— but none can replace the role of a great speech.
The spoken word can handle various important functions: persuading or inspiring, informing, paying tribute (致敬), entertaining, or simply introducing someone.
Persuading is used in dealing with or reconciling different points of view. When the leaders met in Copenhagen in December, 2009, persuasive words from activities encouraged them to take former action.
Inspirational speeches deal with emotions. They focus on topics and matters that are close to people’ s hearts. Last year, during the fighting in Iraq, generals used inspiring speeches to prepare the troops for battle.
Some speeches spread knowledge and deepen understanding. When the H1N1 flu was announced, the disease scared many people. Informtive speechs from World Health Organization (WTO) officials helped people to keep their panic under control so they could take necessary preventive measures.
Sad events are never easy to deal with but a speech that pays tribute to the loss of a loved one and gives praise for their contribution can be comforting. Madonna’s speech about Michael Jackson after his death showed the fact that he will continue to live on through his music.
It’s not only in world forums where public speaking plays an important role. It can also be helpful in the course of our own life. You may be asked to do a presentation at college or work to inform others about an area of great importance. On a more personal level, a friend may be upset and need comforting. Or you might be asked to introduce a speaker at a family gathering or to speak at a wedding, where your language will be needed to move people or make them laugh.
Great speaking ability is not something we’re born with. Even Barack Obama works hard to perfect every speech.
【小题1】The underlined word “recociling” in paragraph 3 can best be replaced by “________”

A．considering

B．questioning

C．accepting

D．settling

【小题2】The passage mentions the H1N1 flu to show the function of _______

A．persuasive speeches	B．informative speeches
C．inspirational speeches	D．introductive speech

【小题3】The 7^th paragraph mainly tells us that public speaking ______.

A．is important in world forums

B．can help us make more friends

C．matters more in one’s life

D．is helpful in our daily life

【小题4】What would the writer probably talk about following the last paragraph?

A．How the speech came into being

B．Why the public speaking is imporatant.

C．How you can perfect your speech

D．Why Obama often makes speeches

【小题5】What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Tips of great speeches	B．The history of the speech
C．Functions of the speech	D．The language of the speech

Facial expressions carry meaning that is determined by situations and relationships. For example, in American culture the smile is in general an expression of pleasure. Yet it also has other uses. A woman’s smile at a police officer does not carry the same meaning as the smile she gives to a young child. A smile may show love or politeness. It can also hide true feelings. It often causes confusion (困惑) across cultures. For example, many people in Russia consider smiling at strangers in public to be unusual and even improper. Yet many Americans smile freely at strangers in public places (although this is less common in big cities). Some Russians believe that Americans smile in the wrong places; some Americans believe that Russians don’t smile enough. In Southeast Asian cultures, a smile is frequently used to cover painful feelings. Vietnamese people may tell a sad story but end the story with a smile.
Our faces show emotions (情感), but we should not attempt to “read” people from another culture as we would “read” someone from our own culture. The fact that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do members of another does not mean that they do not experience emotions. Rather, there are cultural differences in the amount of facial expressiveness permitted. For example, in public and in formal situations many Japanese do not show their emotions as freely as Americans do. When with friends, Japanese and Americans seem to show their emotions similarly.
It is difficult to generalize about Americans and facial expressiveness because of personal and cultural backgrounds in the United States. People from certain cultural backgrounds in the United States seem to be more facially expressive than others. The key is to try not to judge people whose ways of showing emotion are different. If we judge according to our own cultural habits, we may make the mistake of “reading” the other person incorrectly.
【小题1】What does the smile usually mean in the U.S.?

A．Love

B．Politeness

C．Joy

D．Thankfulness

【小题2】The author mentions the smile of the Vietnamese to prove that a smile can ________.

A．show friendliness to strangers

B．be used to hide true feelings

C．be used in the wrong places

D．show personal habits

【小题3】What should we do before attempting to “read” people?

A．Learn about their relations with others

B．Understand their cultural backgrounds

C．Find out about their past experience

D．Figure out what they will do next

【小题4】What would be the best title for the test?

A．Cultural Differences

B．Smiles and Relationships

C．Facial Expressiveness

D．Habits and Emotions

Have you heard of the saying, “If anything is worth doing, it is worth doing well”? The proverb is a piece of advice to make effects towards perfection in whichever job one does. It could be a small task like folding up your clothes, or a major one like organizing a business meeting in your later life.
Perfection just needs paying attention to details. If it is your job to dust the furniture at home, dust it so that not a single spot of dirt shows from any direction. If your task is to make the beds, make them so that not a single crease（皱纹）shows on the bed-covers.
There are only two ways to do a job: either sloppily, or well. If you choose the latter, you need to realize that any job that qualifies as (取得…的资格)“your” work deserves your best. Perfection is an attitude that can be developed with just a little effect. It is a habit that is helpful to a person in later life. Let us prove with an example: you may be asked to turn in an essay on, for example, wildlife, for a school project. Instead of writing carelessly a few facts that you already know, you could make the project more effective by looking up a reference books, encyclopedias（百科全书）or websites for additional information. You could then go over the finished essay for slips（疏漏）and errors, and provide pictures where necessary. If you make it a habit to put in extra effort in your school homework, will it not help you to handle more difficult projects at the college or university level?
As Michelangelo, the famous 16th century sculptor and painter, once put it: Trifles（琐事）go to make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.
【小题1】According to the passage, to achieve perfection is _______.

A．to realize the quality of the work

B．to pay attention to details of one’s work

C．to do as many jobs as possible

D．to form the habit of doing things ahead of time

【小题2】The underlined word “sloppily” in paragraph 3 may mean _______

A．badly

B．patiently

C．carefully

D．slowly

【小题3】What can be inferred from the third paragraph?

A．It is necessary to provide pictures for your essay.

B．Websites are the sources of information you want.

C．Perfection is a habit that promises a good future.

D．You should make much effort to develop perfection.

【小题4】The purpose of writing this passage is to _______.

A．introduce the famous painter Michelangelo

B．advise us to do the things that are worth doing

C．explain to us the meaning of the perfection

D．expect us to give our best to our work

Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of current answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.
Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪)；someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.
Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter —a person who made pots and pans.
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.
Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.
Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the McDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.
【小题1】Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?

A．Places where people lived.

B．People’s characters.

C．Talents that people possessed.

D．People’s occupations.

【小题2】According to the passage, the ancestors of the Potter family most probably _______.

A．owned or drove a cart

B．made things with metals

C．made kitchen tools or contains

D．built houses and furniture

【小题3】Suppose and English couple whose ancestors lived near a leafy forest wanted their new-born son to become a world leader, the baby might be named _______.

A．Beatrice Smith	B．Leonard Carter
C．George Longstreet	D．Donald Greenwood

【小题4】The underlined word “descendants” in the last paragraph means a person’s _____.

A．later generations	B．friends and relatives
C．colleagues and partners	D．later sponsors

There are some very good things about open education. This way of teaching allows the students to grow as people, and to develop their own interests in many subjects. Open education allows students to be responsible for their own education, as they are responsible for what they do in life. Some students do badly in a traditional classroom. The open classroom may allow them to enjoy learning. Some students will be happier in an open education school. They will not have to worry about grades or rules. For students who worry about these things a lot, it is a good idea to be in an open classroom.
But many students will not do well in an open classroom. For some students, there are too few rules. These students will do little in school. They will not make good use of open education. Because open education is so different from traditional education, these students may have a problem getting used to making so many choices. For many students it is important to have some rules in the classroom. They worry about the rules even when there are no rules. Even a few rules will help this kind of students. The last point about open education is that some traditional teachers do not like it. Man y teachers do not believe in open education. Teachers who want to have an open classroom may have many problems at their schools.
You now know what open education is. Some of its good points and bad points have been explained. You may have your own opinion about open education. The writer thinks that open education is a good idea, but only in theory. In actual fact, it may not work very well in a real class or school. The writer believes that most students, but of course not all students, want some structure in their classes. They want and need to have rules. In some cases, they must be made to study some subjects. Many students are pleased to find subjects they have to study interesting. They would not study those subjects if they did not have to.
【小题1】Open education allows the students to _________.     .

A．grow as the educated	B．be responsible for their future
C．develop their own interests	D．discover subjects outside class

【小题2】Open education may be a good idea for the students who _____.           

A．enjoy learning

B．worry about grades

C．do well in a traditional classroom

D．are responsible for what they do in life.

【小题3】Some students will do little in an open classroom because____.

A．there are too few rules

B．they hate activities

C．open education is similar to the traditional education

D．they worry about the rules

【小题4】Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Some traditional teachers do not like it.

B．Many teachers do not believe in open education.

C．Teachers may have problems in open classrooms.

D．The teacher’s feelings and attitudes are important to the students.

【小题5】Which of the following best summarizes the passage?

A．Open education is a really complex idea.

B．Open education is better than traditional education.

C．Teachers dislike open education.

D．The writer thinks that open education is a good idea in practice.

In our life, we have rarely expressed our gratitude to the one who lived those years with us. In fact, we don't have to wait for anniversaries to thank the ones closest to us and the ones so easily overlooked. If I have learned anything about giving thanks, it is this: give it now! While your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere, act on it. Saying thanks is such an easy way to add to the world's happiness.
Saying thanks not only brightens someone else's world, it brightens yours. If you're feeling left out, unloved or unappreciated, try reaching out to others. It may be just the medicine you need. Of course, there are times when you can't express gratitude immediately. In that case, don't let embarrassment sink you into silence and speak up the first time you have the chance.
Once a young minister, Mark Brian, was sent to a remote parish(教区)of Kwakiutl Indians in British Columbia. The Indians, he had been told, did not have a word for thank you. But Brian soon found that these people had unusual generosity. Instead of saying thanks, it is their custom to return every favor with a favor of their own, and every kindness with an equal or superior kindness. They do their thanks. I wonder if we had no words in our vocabulary for thank you, would we do a better job of communicating our gratitude? Would we be more responsive, more sensitive, more caring?
Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that transforms people all around us－including ourselves. For no one ever misunderstands the melody(旋律)of a grateful heart. Its message is universal; its poems transcend(超越)all earthly barriers; its music touches the heaven.
【小题1】Who do we easily forget to express our thanks to according to the writer?

A．Friends not meeting for a long time.	B．Former teachers and friends.
C．People we want to get close to.	D．Our family members and good friends.

【小题2】 When we say something for what others do for us, it ______.

A．benefits the people who do something for us

B．is good for both us and people who help us

C．wastes our and our friends' time at the same time

D．does harm to both us and people who help us

【小题3】What does the writer mean in the third paragraph?

A．The only way to thank others is to express by your own words.

B．The best way to thank others is to do something for them.

C．We can thank people who help us in various ways.

D．We can thank people who help us in two ways.

【小题4】The way to make us feel happy is ______ when we think we ourselves are forgotten in the world.

A．to help and appreciate others	B．to ask others to help us
C．to remind others of our helping them	D．to ask someone to help others

The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before a huge pile of troublesome things they call “books”.
I was going to have my examination the next day. “When can I go to bed?” I asked myself. I didn’t answer, in fact I dared not.
The clock struck 12. “Oh, dear!” I cried, “ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched(可怜的) creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy.
The clock struck one. I was quite hopeless now. I forgot all I had learnt. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh, God, Please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were heavy, so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.
【小题1】When the author was going over his lessons, all the others in the house were_____ .

A．asleep

B．working

C．outside

D．watching TV

【小题2】Reviewing his lessons didn’t help him at all because ____________.

A．he thought it was useless doing this at night

B．his parents were not able to help him

C．his eyes were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open

D．he hadn’t studied hard before the examination

【小题3】 What do you suppose happened to the author later？

A．He went to a church to pray again

B．He passed the exam by luck

C．He failed in the exam

D．He was punished by his teacher

Changsha,
Hunan Province
May 6, 2010
Dear editor,
Under China’s current (现在的) educational system, there are those who do nothing but study. They of course are thought to be model students.
But I feel that there is another type of student who, perhaps not as diligent (勤奋的) as the first type, uses his time more efficiently and achieves a lot academically.
Last year, a classmate of mine was accepted by a top university. It surprised all of us. It was because, unlike most of us, he didn’t spend too much of his time studying.
When I asked him the secret of his success, he said that the key was properly and scientifically arranging his time.
“ I spent a lot of time keeping fit and as a result, I was able to better concentrate (集中) on my class work.”
The moral (教训) of the story is: it isn’t necessary to sit at your desk all day long to get high academic (学术) grades.
Yours,
Zhang Zishu
【小题1】What does the letter-writer (a reader) think leads to the fact that many students do nothing but study?

A．The present educational system.	B．People’s old ideas.
C．The teaching methods.	D．The parents of these students.

【小题2】It seems that this reader thinks        .

A．the first type of student is our model

B．the second type of students is our model

C．both types of students are worth learning from

D．neither of the two types of students are good

【小题3】The reader wrote the letter in order to        .

A．call on us to work even harder

B．cause people to think about how to study more efficiently (有效地)

C．advise people to do research into his classmate’s success

D．criticize (批评) China’s educational system

【小题4】What would be the best to stand for (代表) the letter-writer’s opinion?

A．Secret of success.

B．China’s educational system needs changing.

C．Work while you work and play while you play.

D．Keep fit first.