Height is just one of the thousands of features your genes decide. In fact, because you have two parents, your genes provide you a height that usually lands somewhere between the height of each parent. If both your parents are tall, then most probably you will be tall, too, but if you have questions about how tall you're going to be, ask your doctor if he or she can help you find it out.

But genes don't decide everything. For example, eating an unhealthy diet can keep you from growing to your full potential(潜力). Getting plenty of sleep and enough exercise will help you grow to the expected height.

No doubt you're wondering how fast you should grow. It depends. There's no perfect or right answer. Generally speaking, kids grow about 2 inches (6 centimeters) a year between age 3 and the time when they start puberty (when your body starts changing and becoming more grown up).

Your doctor will know how your growth has been going over the years. Two centimeters here and 2 inches there are not nearly as important as the height you're at now, how you've been growing up to this point, and what other changes your body may be going through.

Don't be scared if you seem to have grown a lot in a very short time. Everyone has a growth spurt（高峰）during puberty. The age for starting puberty is about 10 for girls and about 11 for boys. But it can be earlier or later ----between 7 and 13 for girls and 9 and 15 for boys.

You'll usually begin to notice that you're growing faster about a year or so after your body starts to show the first changes of puberty. 

1.. The Chinese for the word “puberty” is 　　　　　　　　　.

   A. 童年时期          B.婴幼儿时期        C.习惯养成期        D. 生长发育期

2. If you want to know how fast and how tall you should grow, _____.

   A. you should have enough exercise   B. you can ask doctors for help

   C. you should save the environment   D. You can record your growth during puberty

3. This passage is mainly about 　　　　　　　　　.

   A. how the genes work in your body           B. when is the time you grow fast

   C. why you look like your parents                D. how you grow to a certain height 

4. After reading this passage, we can explain 　　　　　　　　　.

   A. how good it is to be a doctor             B. how much sleep time we need

   C. why genes can’t decide everything            D. what healthy diet is

5. Which is NOT mentioned in the passage?

   A. Your height most probably depends on how high your parents are.

   B. Girls’ age for starting puberty is usually earlier than that for boys’.

   C. The time showing the first changes of puberty is never noticed.

   D. You may be scared sometimes when you grow too fast.

 

 

 

　　Salesman： $73.07，please.

　　Peter： 　 What? Show me the receipt.

　　Salesman： Here it is.

Peter： 　 Look. The price on this shirt is $17. But the receipt says $27.

　　Salesman： You are right. The receipt is wrong.

　　Peter： 　 And what is the $5.57 for?

　　Salesman： That’s for tax（税）.

1. The $5.57 is for the ___________.

         A. tax　　　B. bags　　　C. jacket　　D. shirt

2. When did Peter do some shopping?

　　     A. On June 17.B. At noon.C. On June 25.D.In the morning

 

A famous study was done in a school by a professor （教授） from a university. At the start of the school year, the teachers were given the names of five children. They were told that these five were the most excellent students in the class. But the fact was that these students were only average(中等)，and they were not the best students at all. Well, guess what? At the end of the year, all the five average students scored among the highest in the class.

　　What made these average students change so much to become top students？The only difference was the change in their teachers’ attitude(态度). Because the teachers believed that these five kids were the top students，they expected(期望) more from them. And so these five average students began to believe and expect more from themselves. So they worked harder to do as well as they could.

　　Do you know why? If you expect the best from people, they’ll usually want to give you their best. A great leader said, “Treat(对待) a person just how he appears to be on the outside, and you’ll make him even worse. But treat a person like he’s already a success，and you’ll help make him the best he can be.”

　　Like the true story of 7-year-old Johnny, his teacher got so angry with him that one day she said，“Johnny，you’re the naughtiest(最顽皮的) boy in this class. I’m sure you’ll never change.” The next year Johnny had a new teacher. And on the first day of class，she met with Johnny after school and said，“Johnny, I’ve heard a lot about you! But do you know that I don’t believe a word of it.” And every day after that, this new teacher treated Johnny as if he was one of the smartest students even when Johnny did naughty things. Later on, Johnny became a school leader. Because that’s the power of our belief(信任) and attitude(态度) toward children.

1.The professor started his research(研究)by _______.

A. teaching the five children himself

B. asking the five children to find a new teacher

C. telling the five students to work harder than ever before

D. telling the teacher the five students were the best in the class

2.The five average students became top students mainly because of ________.

A. the professor’s study              

B. the teachers’ hard work

C. the change in the teachers’ attitude       

D. the change in the professor’s attitude

3.Why did the writer tell us the story of 7-year-old Johnny？

A. To let us know how good his new teacher was.

B. To show the importance of encouragement.

C. To show that the boy was clever enough.

D. To let us know the famous boy.

4.The writer writes the passage mainly by ______.

A. giving reasons and result               

B. giving result and examples

C. describing what he thinks               

D. asking and answering questions

5.What does the passage mainly tell us？

A. If you want to get more，you should have new teachers.

B. A professor’s study can help you score highest.

C. Only teachers can make you a top student.

D. Attitude and belief can change a person.

 

Once　upon　a　time,　a　young　man　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　town　announcing　that　he　had　the　most　beautiful　heart　in　the　world.　A　large　crowd　gathered,　and　they　al　praised　his　heart　for　it　was　perfect.

    Suddenly,　an　old　man　appeared　and　said,　“Why　,your　heart　is　not　as　beautiful　as　mine.”

    The　old　man’s　heart　was　ful　of　scars（伤疤）.　Some　pieces　of　his　heart　were　removed　and　some　pieces　from　other　people　were　put　in,　but　they　didn’t　fit　quite　right.　So　there　were　several　jagged（锯齿状的）edges.　In　fact,　there　were　stil　some　holes　in　his　heart　where　the　pieces　were　missing.

    The　 young　 man　 laughed,“Comparing　yours　with　mine,　mine　is　perfect　and　yours　is　a　mess.”

    “Yes,”said　the　old　man.　“But,　every　scar　shows　that　I　took　out　a　piece　of　my　heart　and　gave　it　to　a　person,　and　often　he　gave　me　a　piece　of　his　heart　in　return.”

    “Why　do　you　have　some　jagged　edges　in　your　heart?”asked　the　young　man.“Because　the　shapes　of　the　pieces　weren’t　the　same.”“Then　the　holes?”“Sometimes　I　gave　pieces　of　my　heart　away,　and　the　other　person　hasn’t　given　back　a　piece　of　his,　so　… but　I　don’t　care.”“How　come?”“They　remind　me　of　the　love　we　shared.”

    The　young　man　was　deeply　moved.　He　walked　up　to　the　old　man,　took　a　piece　of　his　heart　out　and　gave　it　to　the　old　man.

    The　old　man　placed　it　in　his　heart,　then　took　a　piece　from　his　old　scarred　heart　and　placed　it　in　the　wound（伤口）in　the　young　man’s　heart.　It　fitted,　but　not　perfectly,　as　there　were　some　jagged　edges.

    The　young　man　looked　at　his　heart,　not　perfect　any　more　but　more　beautiful　than　ever.

    How　sad　it　must　be　to　go　through　 life　 with　 a　 whole　untouched　heart!

    1.　The　young　man　stood　in　the　town　to　_____.

    A.　meet　the　old　man　　　　B.　compare　his　heart　with　others’

    C.　show　his　beautiful　heart　D.　give　pieces　of　his　heart　to　others

   2.　It’s　clear　that　the　old　man　was　_____.

    A.　a　sily　man　　　　B.　a　humorous　man

    C.　a　wel-known　man　　　　D.　a　kind-hearted　man

  3.　We　learn　from　the　story　that　in　the　end　the　young　man　was　_____.

    A.　lost　　　　B.　moved　　　　C.　hurt　　　　D.　untouched

  4.　The　old　man　said“… but　I　don’t　care”means　_____.

    A.　he　didn’t　expect　others’return

    B.　he　didn’t　feel　pain

    C.　he　didn’t　think　it　serious

    D.　he　cared　nothing

  5.We　can　get　more　beautiful　hearts　by　sharing　_____

    A.　ideas　　　　B.　scars　　　　C.　love　　　　D.　beauty