Like schools in China, American schools begin in September after a long summer vacation. There are two terms in a school year. The first term is from September to January and the second is from February to June. Usually American children begin to go to school when they are five years old. Most students are seventeen or eighteen years old when they finish high school.
But unlike middle school students in China, high school students in America take only four or five subjects each term. They usually go to the same classes every day and have homework for every class. After class they do all kinds of interesting things.
After high school, many students go to college. They may go to a small or a large one. They usually have to pay a lot for their higher education. So lots of students work after school to make money for their studies.
根据短文内容，选择最佳答案：
【小题1】 In America, summer vacation lasts ____.

A．one month	B．two months
C．three months	D．more than three months

【小题2】Students only stay at school for about ____ years before they go to college.

A．five

B．six

C．twelve

D．fourteen

【小题3】 The underline word “vacation” means _________ in Chinese.

A．休闲

B．假期

C．时光

D．生活

【小题4】 Many American students work after class, because they _____.

A．want to see interesting things

B．have to help the other people

C．want to make more friends

D．have to get money for their studies

【小题5】The article is mainly about ___________.

A．the differences between schools in China and in America.

B．schools in China.

C．schools in America.

D．American students’ school life.

At 18, many American young people go off on their own. They go away to college or find full-time jobs, and they often rent their own apartments. Some get married and start families. This independence(独立性)is learned from childhood. From an early age, American children learn responsibility. Children as young as 2 begin to put away their toys and dress themselves. At 3, many children do simple chores like setting the table.
Using money wisely is also taught early. As soon as a child understands the value of money, he or she receives a weekly allowance. This is used for things the child wants, like toys or treats. The child can spend of save it, usually with little guidance(指导) from parents. If the child wants money besides his or her allowance, it must be made by doing extra chores.
Children are taught early in life to think for themselves. They are allowed to make some decisions-and make mistakes. Failure(失败) often teaches more than success.
【小题1】 Many American young people begin to live on themselves _____ .

A．at eighteen years old	B．from childhood
C．after they get married	D．from an early age

【小题2】 An American child learn to _____ at the age of 2 .

A．find a full-time job	B．from childhood
C．put away his or her own clothes	D．do lots of chores

【小题3】The word “allowance” (in paragraph 3 ) means ______ in Chinese.

A．奖品

B．零花钱

C．财产

D．礼物

【小题4】 A child can get some more money by ______.

A．understanding the value of money	B．helping the rich
C．reading many books	D．doing extra chores

【小题5】The passage is mainly about ______ .

A．the independence of American children	B．the value of money
C．the guidance from parents	D．failure and success of American children

Like most teenagers in the world, Joso Montanaro a teen artist in Brazil, likes reading and drawing cartoons. But he is special—his drawings get published(出版).
Montanaro is now drawing cartoons for Folha. Folha is Brazil’s largest newspaper and is known for its cartoons. Montanaro has already been working at Folha for two years. Each week he draws two, there or four cartoons and sends them to the paper. From those editors choose one for the next day’s page.
Montanaro draws about the news of the day. Recently he worked on The Wave—a drawing of the tsunami(海啸) that hit Japan. Montanaro also likes to draw cartoons about the funny things that happen in Brazilian politics(政治).
“I like doing political drawings because you can joke about somebody bigger than you.” Montanaro says.
Folha’s art director ,Mario Kanno, says editors saw something new and different in Montanaro’s work.“We brought him in with this idea to show that, yes, young people also read newspapers and can show their ideas on politics,”Kanno says.
Montanaro’s love for cartoons began when be was only 7 or 8 year old. His dad bought him comics. Montanaro says these books gave him the ideas that got him drawing.“I think those great works have really helped me,”he says.“They remind me that I should draw something in my book every day.”
【小题1】What is Montanaro doing for Folha now?

A．He is publishing story books.	B．He is drawing cartoons.
C．He is sending newspapers.	D．He is writing articles.

【小题2】Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Folha is famous for its cartoons.

B．Folha is the largest newspaper in Brazil.

C．Montanaro draws one cartoon for Folha every week.

D．Montanaro began to work for Folha two years ago.

【小题3】Why does Montanaro like drawing political cartoons?

A．Because he can show his ideas on politics.

B．Because he is very interested in political jobs.

C．Because he thinks it’s easier to draw political cartoons.

D．Because he can make fun of some important people.

【小题4】What made Montanaro draw and helped him a lot in his drawings?

A．The comics his dad bought him.	B．His interest in cartoon films.
C．The fun of drawing cartoons.	D．His dad’s ideas about cartoons.

【小题5】What’s the best title for this passage?

A．Folha’s art director.	B．Brazil’s largest newspaper.
C．Teen artist in Brazil.	D．Montanaro’s great father.

Like most English children, I learned foreign languages at school. When I made my first visit to the United States, I was sure I could have a nice and easy holiday without any language problem. But how wrong I was!
At the American airport, I was looking for a public telephone to tell my friend Danny that I had arrived. An American asked if he could help me. "Yes," I said, '1 want to give my friend a ring."
"Well, that's nice. Are you getting married?" he asked. "No," I replied, "I just want to tell him I have arrived." "Oh," he said, "there is a phone downstairs on the first floor." "But we're on the first floor now," I said.
"Well, I don't know what you are talking about Maybe you aren't feeling too well after your journey," he said. "Just go and wash up, and you will feel a lot better." And he went off, leaving me wondering where on earth I was: At home we wash up after a meal to get the cups and plates clean. How can I wash up at an airport?
At last we did meet. Danny explained the misunderstanding: Americans say "to give someone a call", but we English say "to give somebody a ring". When we say "to wash your hands", they say "to wash up". And Englishmen start numbering from the ground floor so the first floor is the second for Americans.
【小题1】The writer went to America by  ______.

A．plane

B．ship

C．bus

D．train

【小题2】The writer went to America for______   .

A．education

B．business

C．holiday

D．friendship

【小题3】The American thought "a ring" should be a________  .

A．phone call

B．present

C．person

D．letter

【小题4】Englishmen usually wash up________ .

A．after dinner	B．after a journey
C．when they are tired	D．before they telephone someone

【小题5】The third floor in England is the ______floor in America.

A．first

B．second

C．third

D．Fourth

At 18, many American young people go off on their own. They go away to college or find full-time jobs, and they often pay for their own apartments. Some get married and start families. This independence（独立) is learned from childhood.
From an early age, American children learn to do things by themselves. Children as young as 2 begin to put away their toys and dress themselves. At 3, many children do simple chores like setting the table.
Using money in the right way is also taught early. As soon as a child understands the value of money, he or she receives a weekly allowance. This is used for things the child wants, like toys or treats. The child can spend or save it, usually with little help or advice from parents. If the child wants more money, it must be earned by doing extra chores.
Children are taught early in life to think for themselves. They are allowed to make some decisions
and make mistakes. Failure often teaches more than success.
【小题1】. Many young American people begin to live on themselves ________ .

A．at the age of eighteen

B．from an early age

C．after they get married

D．when they find jobs

【小题2】 An American child learns to ________ at the age of 2.
A. do a lot of chores  B. put on their own clothes     C. study for a test        D set the table
【小题3】 The underlined word “allowance” means ________ .

A．pocket money

B．present

C．prize

D．toy

【小题4】 A child can get some more money by ________ .

A．understanding the value of money	B．doing a lot of homework
C．reading a lot of books	D．doing some more chores

【小题5】 Which is NOT true according to the passage?

A．American children learn to be independent from an early age.

B．American children always use or save their money with the help of their mother.

C．American children are allowed to make some decisions and mistakes.

D．Failure is needed in children’s life as well as success.