I’m trying to be a writer, but I can’t even start. What should I do?
Abraham, Nebraska
There are many ways to come up with ideas, one of which is to write down a list of your experiences, as well as things from your imagination. When you want to write, look in the notebook for ideas.
Books for writers often have good suggestions, too. One we like is Spilling Ink: A Yong Writer’s Handbook by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter. Perhaps your library has it.
My classmates keep asking about a new movie I’ve seen. But I don’t want to spoil it for them. What should I do?
Corinne (by e-mail)
You could ask your classmates whether they are sure they want to know and if they insist, go ahead and tell them. You may be able to give them a general idea of the movie without revealing details of the ending.
I’m going to a soccer camp for youth, but I’m not sure if I’m good at soccer or if I’ll make friends.
Louise, New Hampshire
Soccer camp is for people who share an interest in the sport. No matter what a person’s ability is at the beginning, it’s likely that everyone will leave camp with improved skills.
Sharing a common interest may make conversations easier. Smile, be friendly, and have a sense of humor. Before long, you may find that you’ve made some good friends.
Someone invited me to a birthday party. When I got there, kids were doing stuff I’m not interested in, like watching scary movies. I told them my mom would pick me up, so I just left. Was I rude for doing that?
Sam (by e-mail)
You just did the right thing and that isn’t being rude.
We hope you’ll talk with your parents about this. They’re probably proud of what you did. They may have other suggestions for you, too. Talk about different situations that might come up and what would be the best way to handle (处理) them.
【小题1】Who is interested in Spilling Ink: A Yong Writer’s Handbook?

I’m trying to be a writer, but I can’t even start. What should I do?
Abraham, Nebraska
There are many ways to come up with ideas, one of which is to write down a list of your experiences, as well as things from your imagination. When you want to write, look in the notebook for ideas.
Books for writers often have good suggestions, too. One we like is Spilling Ink: A Yong Writer’s Handbook by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter. Perhaps your library has it.
My classmates keep asking about a new movie I’ve seen. But I don’t want to spoil it for them. What should I do?
Corinne (by e-mail)
You could ask your classmates whether they are sure they want to know and if they insist, go ahead and tell them. You may be able to give them a general idea of the movie without revealing details of the ending.
I’m going to a soccer camp for youth, but I’m not sure if I’m good at soccer or if I’ll make friends.
Louise, New Hampshire
Soccer camp is for people who share an interest in the sport. No matter what a person’s ability is at the beginning, it’s likely that everyone will leave camp with improved skills.
Sharing a common interest may make conversations easier. Smile, be friendly, and have a sense of humor. Before long, you may find that you’ve made some good friends.
Someone invited me to a birthday party. When I got there, kids were doing stuff I’m not interested in, like watching scary movies. I told them my mom would pick me up, so I just left. Was I rude for doing that?
Sam (by e-mail)
You just did the right thing and that isn’t being rude.
We hope you’ll talk with your parents about this. They’re probably proud of what you did. They may have other suggestions for you, too. Talk about different situations that might come up and what would be the best way to handle (处理) them

1. 1.

   Who is interested in Spilling Ink: A Yong Writer’s Handbook?

   1. A.
      Corinne
   2. B.
      Louise
   3. C.
      Abraham
   4. D.
      Sam
2. 2.

   What can we learn about the soccer camp?

   1. A.
      The practice is hard but interesting
   2. B.
      It is difficult to make friends in the camp
   3. C.
      The camp only wants people who are new to soccer
   4. D.
      One’s skills can be improved when leaving the camp
3. 3.

   The answer to Sam’s question shows what Sam did is _____

   1. A.
      funny
   2. B.
      strange
   3. C.
      foolish
   4. D.
      smart
4. 4.

   According to the passage, you can make friends by the following means EXCEPT _________

   1. A.
      keeping smiling
   2. B.
      Being humorous
   3. C.
      Changing your habits
   4. D.
      Being friendly to others
5. 5.

   This purpose of the text is to _____

   1. A.
      give advice
   2. B.
      tell stories
   3. C.
      find friends
   4. D.
      share interests

Do you remember the name of your kindergarten teacher? I do. Her name is Mrs. White.

I don’t remember much about what we learned in her   36  , but my mother once told me we used to   37   a lot. And I would   38   what I wrote and she would look at it and see there were so many   39  , but no red corrections. And always a star. Sometimes even a “Good”! That made my heart filled with   40  , but worried my mother. So one day when she met Mrs. White. She asked her why she never   41   my mistakes; why she never red-penciled in the wrong   42   of words or pointed out grammatical errors.

My mother said Mrs. White said “The children are just   43   to get excited about using words, about   44   sentences. I don’t want to dampen that   45   with red ink. Spelling and grammar can   46  . The wonder of words won’t …” And maybe she didn’t   47   it exactly like that because it was a long time ago and   48   my mother told me was just what she could remember.

Thanks to Mrs. White, I   49   up learning to use words with loving   50  . I had no qualms （顾虑）about writing what I meant   51   I couldn’t quite spell it out. A thought comes into my mind that if Mrs. White had used her red pen precisely, I   52   wouldn’t be telling you about this now. I look   53   now and think she must have been a rather   54   teacher ——to exercise such red-pen-restraint （不纠错）——to   55   the joy, wonder and excitement of expression.

1.A. expression         B. school       C. class            D. home

2.A. sing           B. write            C. draw             D. speak

3.A. bring back         B. hand out         C. hand in      D. make up

4.A. signatures         B. mistakes         C. words        D. stars

5.A. regret             B. sadness      C. happiness        D. worry

6.A. saw            B. found        C. changed      D. corrected

7.A. meanings       B. spellings        C. use              D. place

8.A. beginning      B. leading      C. happening        D. choosing

9.A. reading        B. discovering C. forming      D. hearing

10.A. thought       B. patience         C. courage      D. excitement

11.A. wait          B. advance      C. disappear        D. return

12.A. accept            B. prove            C. agree            D. say

13.A. that          B. what             C. which        D. how

14.A. grew          B. stood            C. added        D. gave

15.A. doubt             B. ability      C. confidence   D. opinion

16.A. as if             B. now that         C. if only      D. even if

17.A. hardly            B. usually      C. probably         D. actually

18.A. back          B. round        C. up           D. out

19.A. beautiful         B. interesting      C. unusual      D. strict

20.A. show          B. let          C. enjoy            D. allow

B
Piercings（穿洞）have moved up on the trend list in recent Tattoos（纹身）and body years. Around Western schools lots of teens are sporting new holes and flesh ink. Like all other subjects, we’ll surely be faced with such situation. To get a better view of what has happened in the West, let’s sit down and hear what they say.
Kerstin Otto from Washington:
The hotter it gets and the more layers of clothing disappear, the more tattoos and piercings appear on various places of the human body, I wouldn’t be caught dead with a snake tattooed on my ankle or with a piece of metal stuck in my belly button.
Tiara from Indiana:
I personally think body piercing is sickening. If there were supposed to be holes in your body, you would have been born with them. I do, however, think that ear piercing, is not wrong.  There is a difference between ear piercing and belly button piercing. Ear piercing is not nearly as dangerous. I would be sick if someone stuck a needle in my belly button.
Lee from Illinois:
Hi! I live in Illinois. I am 23. I have 12 tattoos and three piercings. I love my tattoos
and consider myself an art collector. You would be surprised at who has given me the thumbs-up on my art work. People on the street stop me to look at that on my leg. Most of them don’t know what it is. They just think the work itself is great.
Nagib from Washington:
I wanted an earring. My friends had them and it looked like a cool thing. I wanted to get a nose ring, but my mum wouldn’t let me. Now I’m glad I didn’t get it. I just wanted a little stud, but I wouldn’t have looked good with it.
Jackson from Ohio:
I don’t think it’s wrong, but when people do it all over the place like their face and everything —I think that’s ridiculous. People who get the big dragons that cover your whole body—I don’t think that’s necessary. When I see naked chicks on guys, I think. “You have no respect for women.”
Brittney from New York:
You don’t want to do stuff to your body. You don t need to do that because you were made perfect. You don’t need to add piercings. If it will make you feel beautiful and you really feel like you need to do it for yourself, then okay. If it really makes a big difference impacting your self-esteem and how you are towards others, then do it. But otherwise, don’t mess with what you got. Maybe you should try something more substantial（充实的）to find beauty in yourself.
60. Who is wholeheartedly lost in tattoos and piercing?
A. Tiara           B. Kerstin           C. Nagib.           D. Lee.
61. Who doesn’t think tattoos and piercing are beautiful?
A. Jackson.          B. Brittney.           C. Tiara.           D. Nagib.
62. We can conclude that ________.
A. tattoos and piercing are a new kind of elegant art
B. all the teachers in the West are in favor of tattoos and piercing
C. everything is changeable with time going on
D. it is necessary to live with all different views of beauty
63. The best title for this passage is probably _________.
A. Body Art or Damage                    B. Damage to the Youth’s Body
C. Young People’s Different Curiosities       D. A Great Anxiety About Young People