Hip hop or rap (说唱） music as it is also called, started on the street and in the clubs of the New York City in the 1970s . But today many countries have their own kind of  hip hop music . This kind of music comes from reggae, disco and funk music . Rapping means speaking to the  rhythm of the music, and it is an important part of the music . People rap to express how they feel about their lives and problems .

Rapping in class.

Would you like to rap in class? Well actually, hip pop music is played in more than 10,000 schools in the USA .Why ? There is a new school program called “ Flocabulary ”in which teachers use texts and hip hop CDs to help teach different school subjects . The words of the songs are just what students are studying . This makes learning easy and fun . Students and teachers are excited about the positive results it has had on exam marks . One teacher said, “ I’ve used hip hop songs in class, and I have never seen my students so crazy about history ! You can't imagine how well they imagine how well they remember what I teach ! We even try to write our own songs . ”

Whose idea was Flocabulary?

Blake Harrison, a high school student, was the first person to come up with the idea of Flocabulary . The word “ Flocabulary ” comes from the word “ flow ” and “ vocabulary ” . “ Flow ” is a rap word for “ style ”,or the way a rapper says the words of a song . “ Vocabulary ” means the words you have to learn in a language . How did he get the idea ? Well, he realized he could remember the words of a hip hop song very easily . So,why not make lessons into songs ? Today together with Alex Rappaport, a song writer, Blake produces hip hop songs for maths, science and literature (文学）. They are now used in schools with great success .

1.Rap music started  _____ in New York city .

A．in the 1970s                           B．In a high school

C．in the 19 th century .                     D．In a music class .

2.From the passage, we can learn “ Flocabulary ” is a program to _____ .

A．Write rap music .                       B．Sing a song by talking

C．Remember the words of a song .            D．help teach some school subjects.

3.The underlined word  positive  in paragraph 2 most probably means _____ 

A．bad              B．good             C．final              D．direct

4.Blake Harrison has produced hip hop songs for school subject EXCEPT _____ .

A．maths            B．science           C．history            D．literature

1Choose the best answer (根据短文内容，选择最恰当的答案)

You probably know you should say “please” and “thank you” at restaurants. You probably know the rules of a library. You know you should respect and be nice to your classmates. But do you have music manners?

Keep It Down! You have to notice the volume of your music. You should not play your music so loud that everyone around you can hear it. Some people might even get angry. Usually, when you play the music loud on an MP3 player, other people can’t hear the words of the song. They just hear a loud sound. No one wants to listen to this. Very loud music can also be bad for your ears. So even if you are alone when listening to our MP3 players, you shouldn’t turn it up too high.

Take Them Off! You need to know when to turn your MP3 off and put it away. Libraries, and schools don’t allow MP3 players. There are other places, like museums, that don’t have rules, but it would be rude to have your MP3 player on. Sometimes, it doesn’t make sense to listen on your MP3 player at event. Why would you listen to music at a play, a movie or a sporting event? You would miss what is going on and others would wonder why you even came.

Take One Out! Once in a while it’s okay just to take out one earphone and not other. Imagine you are listening on your MP3 player when someone asks you the way. It would not be rude to take out one earphone, tell him the way, and put back the earphone and continue listening. You can also do this when you order food at a fast-food restaurant or when you answer the telephone and it’s not for you.

It’s Your Choice! There are times when you need to decide what is best. For example, some people can listen to music on their MP3 players when reading books, while others think it is disturbing. In cases like this, you need to do what seems right for you.

1.The underlined word “volume” in Paragraph Two probably means “_______”

A. the type of music                   B. the amount of a sound

C. the length of a song                D. the color of an MP3 player

2.No one wants to listen to _____________ from others’ MP3 players.

A. a loud sound     B. sad stories     C. a long movie      D. the words of a song

3.We should turn down the music when we are alone because loud music ________.

A. is not enjoyable        B. makes us tired

C. is bad for MP3 players  D. hurts our ears

4.If we listen to our MP3 player at a play, ______________________.

A. the theatre won’t allow it

B. the actors will get angry

C. others won’t hear the play well

D. we will miss part of the play

5.We can take one earphone out when we _______________________.

A. show others the way

B. talk to friends on the phone

C. watch a sporting event

D. have dinner with our parents

6.It’s all right to use our MP3 player in _________________.

A. school          B. libraries      C. restaurants     D. museums

7.What can be the best title of this passage? _________________

A. Music lovers    B. Music manners  C.MP3 players      D. MP3 earphones

You probably know you should say “please” and “thank you” at restaurants. You probably know the rules of a library. You know you should respect and be nice to your classmates. But do you have music manners?

??? Keep It Down! You have to notice the volume of your music. You should not play your music so loud that everyone around you can hear it. Some people might even get angry. Usually, when you play the music loud on an MP3 player, other people can't hear the words of the song. They just hear a loud sound. No one wants to listen to this. Very loud music can also be bad for your ears, so even if you are alone when listening to your MP3 player, you shouldn’t have it turned up too high.

??? Take Them off! You need to know when to turn your MP3 player off and put it away. Libraries and schools don't allow MP3 players. There are other places, like museums, that don’t have rules, but it would be rude to have your MP3 player on. Why would you listen to music at a play, a movie or a sporting event? You would miss what is going on and others would wonder why you even came.

Take One Out! Once in a while it's OK just to take out one earphone and not the other. Imagine you are listening on your MP3 player when someone asks you the way. It would not be rude? to take out one earphone, tell him the way, and put back the earphone and continue listening. You can also do this when you order food at a fast-food restaurant or when you answer the telephone and it's not for you.

It’s Your Choice! There are times when you need to decide what is best. For example, some people can listen to music on their MP3 players when reading books, while others think it is disturbing. In cases like this, you need to do what seems right for you.

1.No one wants to listen to_________ from others’ MP3 player.

A. a loud sound????????????????????? B. sad stories?????

C. a long movie????????????????????? D. the words of a song

2. We should turn down the music when we are alone because loud music_______.

A. is not enjoyable??????????????????? B. makes us tired??

C. is bad for MP3 players?????????????? D. hurts our ears

3. If we listen to our MP3 player at a play, ________.

A. the teacher won’t allow it???????????? B. the actors will get angry

C. others won’t hear the play well???????? D. we will miss part of the play

4. We can take one earphone out when we________.

A. show others the way???????????????? B. talk to friends on the phone

C. watch a sporting event??????????????? D. have dinner with our parents

5. It's all right to use our MP3 player in______.

A. schools??????? B. libraries?????? C. restaurants?????? D. museums

You probably know you should say” please” and “thank you ” at restaurants. You probably know the rules of a library. You know you should respect and be nice to your classmates. But do you have music manners?

Keep It Down! You have to notice the volume of your music. You should not play your music so loud that everyone around you can hear it. Some people might even get angry. Usually, when you play the music loud on an MP3 player, other people can’t hear the words of the song. They just hear a loud sound. Not one wants to listen to this. Very loud music can also be bad for your cars, so even if you are alone when listening to our MP3 player, you shouldn’t have it turned up too high.

Take Them off! You need to know when to turn your MP3 player off and put it away. Libraries and schools don’t allow MP3 players. There are other places, like museums, that don’t have rules,

but is would be rude to have your MP3 player on. Sometimes, it just doesn’t make sense to listen your MP3 player at event. Why would you listen to music at a play, a movie or a sporting event?  your would miss what is going on and others would wonder why you even came.

Take One Out! Once is a while it’s okay just to take out one earphone and not other. Imagine you are listening your MP3 player when someone asks you the way. It would not be rude to take out one earphone, tell him the way, and put back the earphone and continue listening. You can also do this when you order food at a fast-food restaurant or when you answer the telephone and it’s not for you.

It’s Your Choice! There are times when you need to decide what is best. For example, some people can listen to music on their MP3 Players when read books, while others think it is disturbing. In cases like this, you need to do what seems right for you.

1.The underlined word “volume” in Paragraph Two probably means” _____.

A) the type of music         B) the amount of a sound 

C) the length of a song       D) the colour of and MP3 player

2.No one wants to listen to _____ from others’ MP3 player.

A) a loud sound          B) sad stories

C) a long movie         D) the words of a song

3.We should turn down the music when we are alone because loud music _____.

A) is not enjoyable         B) makes us tired     

C) is bad for MP3 players    D) huts our ears

4.If we listen to our MP3 player at a play, _____.

A) the theater won’t allow it         B) the actors will get angry

C) others won’t hear the play well    D) we will miss part of the play

5. We can take once earphone out when we _____.

A) show others the way       B) talk to fiends on the phone

C) watch a sporting event     D) have dinner with our parents

6.It’s all right to use our MPS player in _____.

A) schools   B) libraries   C) restaurants   D) museums

7. What can be the best title of this passage?

A) Music Lovers    B) Music Manners    

C) MP3 Players     D) MP3 Earphones

Dear John, Thank you very much for your letter. I am glad that you enjoyed your holiday with me. We enjoyed having you and your sister here. We hope that you will both be able to come again next year. Perhaps you’ll be able to stay longer next time you come. A week is not really long enough, is it? If your school has a five-week holiday next year, perhaps(或许) you’ll be able to stay with us for two or three weeks.

We have been back at school three weeks now. It feels like three months! I expect(期待) that you are both working very hard now that you are in Grade One. I shall have to work hard next year when I am in Grade One. Tom and Ann won’t be in Grade One until 2011.

They went for a picnic yesterday but I didn’t go with them because I cut my foot and I couldn’t walk very well. They went to an island and enjoyed themselves. Do you still remember the island? That’s where all five of us spent the last day of our holiday.

Tom, Ann and I send our best wishes to Betty and you. We hope to see you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Michael

1.        stayed with Michael for a holiday.

2.Their holiday lasted for          .

3.From the words of  “It feels like three months!” we know that          .

4.        in Grade One now.

5.Why didn’t Michael go to the island for picnic?