A bus stops at a small bus stop. A man is hungry and he wants to buy some cakes. It’s raining hard, he doesn’t want to go out in the rain. He sees a boy. “Come here, boy!” he cries. “Do you know how much the cakes are?” The boy says yes. The man gives the boy four dollars(美元) and asks him to buy two cakes. “One is for you and one is for me.” Three minutes later, the boy comes back. He’s eating a cake. He gives the man two dollars and says: “Sorry, there is only one cake left.”

1. Where is the man?

2.The man doesn’t want to go out because.

3.How many cakes does the boy get?

4.How much are they if（假如）we buy five cakes?

5.What’s the result (结果)?

A bus stops at a small bus stop. A man is hungry and he wants to buy some cakes. It’s raining(下雨) hard, he doesn’t want to go out in the rain. He sees a boy. “Come here, boy!” he cries. “Do you know how much the cakes are?” The boy says yes. The man gives the boy four dollars(美元) and asks him to buy two cakes. “One is for you and one is for me.” Three minutes later, the boy comes back. He’s eating a cake. He gives the man two dollars and says: “Sorry, there is only one cake left.”

1.Where is the man?

2.The man doesn’t want to go out because__________.

3.How many cakes does the boy get?

4.How much are they if we buy five cakes?

5.What’s the result (结果)?

—Can you tell me________?      —Two weeks ago.

Chinese are very generous when it comes to educating their children. Not caring about the  money, parents often send their children to the best schools or even abroad to England, the United States and Australia. They also want their children to take extra-course activities where they will either learn a musical instrument(乐器) or ballet, or other classes which will give them a head in life. The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is, the better it is. So parents will spend an unreasonable amount of money on education. Even poor couples will buy a computer for their son or daughter. However, what most parents fail to see is that the best early education they can give their children is usually very cheap.

Parents can see that their children are very skilled in some areas while poor in others. What most parents fail to realize though, is that today's children are short of self-respect and self-confidence.

The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but parents are not teaching them the most important skills that they need to be confident, happy and clever.

Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and doing other housework. Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need later in life. Cooking requires patience and time. It is an enjoyable but difficult experience. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he will learn to work hard and finish his job successfully step by step. His result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and lots of self-confidence.

Some old machines, such as a broken radio or TV set that you give your child to play with will make him curious and arouse(激发) his interest. He will spend hours looking at them, trying to fix them; your child might become an engineer when he grows up. These activities are not only teaching a child to read a book, but rather to think, to use his mind. And that is more important.

1.Most Chinese parents don't realize_______.

A．how much the best education is worth       B．when children should be educated

C．what children really need in later life        D．why school tests don't satisfy children

2.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．Fixing old machines is very important.        B．Interest is necessary for everything.

C．Broken things are useful for children.        D．Using hands helps improve thinking ability.

3.The writer's attitude（看法） to children's education is that

A．the cheaper an education is, the better it is

B．children today should learn different skills

C．practical skills are useful to children's growth

D．school education can't meet parents' expectation.

For the British, the home is private place in which he or she goes to hide away from the troubles of life. It is very seldom that one would be invited to a British person’s home. It is rude to knock on a person’s door if you are not invited. If you are invited, don’t ask to see more than the downstairs that your British host invites you into. Never ask how much the house or any of the items in if cost.
To the American, most of them want their home to be a place where they can entertain (款待) and share their lives with their friends. They may be delighted to give you a full tour of their houses. They may also be pleased when you show your interest and pleasure in their houses.
Both British and American people will engage in quite a bit of chat and a drink or two before the meal is served. After the first mouthful, you should say how delicious the food is and ask something about it. Remember, never eat with your mouth open and make very little noise while eating. It would be nice of you to help your host in any way. Maybe offer to pour some drinks or clear up after the meal.
【小题1】If your British friend invites you to his home, you can _________.