How would you like to study at an American university in China? With the news that New York University (NYU) is considering setting up a branch（分校）on Chinese mainland, the possibility of getting an American education becomes a reality. But how will Chinese students deal with a very different style of teaching? One that encourages debate（辩论）, discussion and critical thinking (批判思维)； one which puts little attention on rote learning.

You know how kids ask questions all the time? Asking questions shows they are curious (好奇). So when does that natural curiosity get weak? Not at kindergarten or nursery, nor at primary school. As you grow older perhaps refusing to draw attention to yourself by asking the teacher questions, you grow quiet. If so, that's a pity, because questioning your teachers should be encouraged. After all, they're the ones who've been educated, have a lot more experience than you and perhaps have a little wisdom. When I taught joumalim at college in Scotland I enjoyed answering students' questions. Some of them raised difficult questions. I didn't always know the answers. If I didn't, I'd accept it and try to find out later.

At university we were encouraged to challenge our classmates and teachers. There was often a regular meeting between teachers and some students. A student would prepare a paper on a subject and the other students would criticize it. It could be frightening. But it was a way of developing critical thinking.

We need to differentiate critical thinking with loudmouths. We've all come across loudmouths who speak out quickly as if they knew what they were talking about. I know one loudmouth who is paid a great deal of money by a British tabloid newspaper to entertain readers with his deeply-held prejudices(偏见). You might not agree with columnist(专栏作家) Richard Littlejohn, but you have to say that he is entertaining and there is an internal logic（内在的逻辑）to his statements. Having a logical mind can help develop critical thinking.

My wife doesn't have a logical mind, but she does have emotional intelligence（情商）. I can't say that I have anything like her emotional intelligence. but I'd like to think some of it rubbed off on me. If you can't at least try to put yourself in someone else's shoes, how can you understand their situation, their problems and issues?

So try to develop your powers of critical thinking. Start with books, films, music and newspapers. And don't believe everything you read or see. Think independently.

57. According to the passage, to develop your critical thinking, you can____________.

A. keep curious and follow your heart

B. think logically, not emotionally

C. do more reading and think actively

D. voice your opinion like a loudmouth

58. The underlined words 66rubbed off on mc" in Paragraph 5 probably mean " __________".

A. helped me solve the problem better

B. had some influence on me in a way

C. moved it backwards and forwards

D. advised me to wear others' shoes

59. What can be the best title for the passage?

A. Want to be different? Think critically

B. Want to be critical? Think for yourself

C. Choose NYU, choose critical thinking

D. Importance of improving critical thinking

　　阅读理解

Alice always wanted to be a singer. Music was the most import thing in her life, and she took lessons for years. Though she did all this, her voice was still bad. Honestly it didn't get better, it just got a little louder.

　　Her teacher finally gave up and stopped the lessons, but Alice said no, and one day she gave a concert and invited her teacher to attend.

　　The teacher was very worried about what to say after she sang． She know it was terrible． She didn't want to tell a lie, but she didn't; want to hurt Alice's feelings either. At last, she got an idea and went to greet her student.

　　“Well, ”said Alice, “what did you think of my singing？

　　“My dear,” said the teacher, “You'll never be better than you were tonight.”

　　(1)Alice wanted to be a singer because

[　　]

　　A． she was good at singing

　　B． she had a good voice 

　　C． she liked music better than anything else

　　D． she had a good teacher

　　(2)The teacher finally gave up ________.

[　　]

　　A． because Alice was worried about what to say 

　　B． after Alice sang at the concert

　　C． when Alice invited her to attend the concert

　　D． before Alice gave the concert

　　(3)The reason Alice gave a concert probably was that ________.

[　　]

　　A． she wanted to show that her teacher was wrong

　　B． she wanted to make her teacher pleased

　　C． she thought she could sing better than her teacher

　　D． the teacher told her to do

　　(4)What did the teacher really mean by saying, “You'll never be better than you were tonight.”

[　　]

　　A． Alice had given an excellent concert last night.

　　B． Alice couldn't be a singer.

　　C． Alice had never sang so well before.

　　D． Alice did much better before than last night.

　　(5)Which of the following is right?

[　　]

　　A． Alice took lessons so long that her voice got bad.

　　B． The teacher stopped the lesson so that Alice could give a concert.

　　C． Alice said no to go with her lessons.  

　　D． The teacher was bright enough to think of a way to hide her feeling.

　　阅读理解

Alice always wanted to be a singer. Music was the most import thing in her life, and she took lessons for years. Though she did all this, her voice was still bad. Honestly it didn't get better, it just got a little louder.

　　Her teacher finally gave up and stopped the lessons, but Alice said no, and one day she gave a concert and invited her teacher to attend.

　　The teacher was very worried about what to say after she sang． She know it was terrible． She didn't want to tell a lie, but she didn't; want to hurt Alice's feelings either. At last, she got an idea and went to greet her student.

　　“Well, ”said Alice, “what did you think of my singing？

　　“My dear,” said the teacher, “You'll never be better than you were tonight.”

　　(1)Alice wanted to be a singer because

[　　]

　　A． she was good at singing

　　B． she had a good voice 

　　C． she liked music better than anything else

　　D． she had a good teacher

　　(2)The teacher finally gave up ________.

[　　]

　　A． because Alice was worried about what to say 

　　B． after Alice sang at the concert

　　C． when Alice invited her to attend the concert

　　D． before Alice gave the concert

　　(3)The reason Alice gave a concert probably was that ________.

[　　]

　　A． she wanted to show that her teacher was wrong

　　B． she wanted to make her teacher pleased

　　C． she thought she could sing better than her teacher

　　D． the teacher told her to do

　　(4)What did the teacher really mean by saying, “You'll never be better than you were tonight.”

[　　]

　　A． Alice had given an excellent concert last night.

　　B． Alice couldn't be a singer.

　　C． Alice had never sang so well before.

　　D． Alice did much better before than last night.

　　(5)Which of the following is right?

[　　]

　　A． Alice took lessons so long that her voice got bad.

　　B． The teacher stopped the lesson so that Alice could give a concert.

　　C． Alice said no to go with her lessons.  

　　D． The teacher was bright enough to think of a way to hide her feeling.

如果能正确地使用词典，它将成为你最好的朋友，并且你可以从中学到单词的发音、词性和释义，学到单词在句子中的使用方式、其他的意思以及相关动词短语。现在请看词典的摘录部分，选择最佳答案。

1. We can find these explainations (解释) in          dictionary.

A. an English-English                  B. a Chinese-English

     C. an English-Chinese                  D. a Chinese

2. Another form of the word "proud" in this dictionary is             .

     A. pleasure        B. pride           C. happiness       D. voice

3. You can find           new words in this dictionary extract (摘要).

     A. many           B. one             C. two             D. three

4. The word "proud" has           uses than the word "encourage".

     A. fewer           B. less             C. more            D. much more

5. The word "voice" is                      .

A. a noun         B. an adjective     C. a verb          D. an adverb