I remember the first time that I was extremely happy. I was about 8 years old when for the first time, there was a computer in the classroom. I remember that my teacher allowed each student to take turns playing various educational games on the computer. One day, I found the source code (密码) for one of these games. Without knowing or being taught any programming language, I was able to figure out some portions of the BASIC code.
Anyone who knows a bit of programming can tell you that I just give myself an infinite (无穷大) number of lives in the game, so I can continue playing forever. This was also my first introduction to algebra (代数), and I didn’t even know it at the time. This was a decisive (决定性的) moment in my life. For the first time that I can remember, I was quite happy because of what I was learning and what I was able to do. As a result, I became enthusiastic for the rest of my life about self-learning and computers, and I was quite happy doing them, too.
I’ve noticed that people who are truly content with life are enthusiastic in what they do. This enthusiasm, along with good health, is the key to being happy. It also leads to self-confidence and fulfillment in life, too. It may also lead to success, wealth, and achievements.
Yes, success, wealth, or achievements seem to bring some people happiness, too. Yet, I don’t think they can indeed make people happy. I know plenty of people who are successful and wealthy. However, I also know several of the people with successful businesses are not happy with what they are doing. I know people who continuously buy themselves new toys, cars, computers, and televisions, yet they never seem content for too long.
Please remember that happiness comes from enthusiasm, and happiness is the journey of life, not the destination.
【小题1】What did the writer’s teacher ask the students to do on the computer?

A．To play various educational games.	B．To figure out the BASIC code.
C．To get the knowledge of algebra.	D．To read some latest news.

【小题2】The underlined word in Paragraph 1 probably can be replaced by ______.

A．danger

B．parts

C．health

D．value

【小题3】According to the author, what can lead a person to be happy?

A．Success and wealth

B．Education and self-confidence.

C．Knowledge and achievements

D．Enthusiasm and good health.

【小题4】The author uses his own experience of being happy in order to tell us ______.

A．it’s very easy to learn the BASIC code

B．he has always been happy since his childhood

C．concentrating on what you love makes you happy

D．one can solve any problem in life by himself

【小题5】What’s the main idea of the last but one paragraph?

A．Wealth cannot bring any people any happiness.

B．Rich people easily feel unhappy nowadays.

C．One will become unhappy once he gets what he wants.

D．Success, wealth, or achievements can’t indeed make people happy.

Education cuts(削减) have become routine (惯常的) over the past few years, which has made it difficult for students to learn. The results of a survey of 1,850 Los Angeles County high school students show just how much the cuts are affecting students.

Because of teacher layoffs (解雇), class sizes at some high schools have risen to 50 students — even in math and English classes. Some 37 percent of students report that they sometimes don’t have a desk to sit at. Sixty-seven percent say crowded classrooms make them feel the teachers don’t have enough time to teach, and 30 percent say they’ve not been able to join in a program because it’s no longer offered at their school.

At a time when technology is an important skill, 52 percent of students say there aren’t enough computers. Or they’re often broken, and there’s no one to fix them. Fifty-one percent say they’ve had to share textbooks with a classmate because there aren’t enough copies to go around. Fifty-seven percent say they’ve had to copy information because their school doesn’t have enough paper to make copies.

“We have only one science teacher for the entire(整个的) high school,” writes Felix Ruano, a 16-year-old student. He goes on to describe how that teacher, who is only qualified to teach chemistry, is teaching physics — or, at least, is trying to do so. “He shows physics videos and we teach ourselves from our textbook,” says Ruano. And, as has been seen elsewhere, “all but one of the restrooms” at Ruano’s school “have been closed because we don’t have enough people to clean them.”

Ruano notes that though faced with the challenges, 97 percent of students say they plan to go to college. But without “properly trained teachers and the best resources,” says Ruano, it’s not likely that every student will achieve that goal. “Unless schools fix these problems,” he says, “students could lose hope.”

1.According to the text, education cuts have led to the following results EXCEPT that _____.

A．class sizes at some high schools have risen

B．some students don’t have a desk to sit at

C．some students have to share textbooks

D．some students have to leave school

2.The underlined word “qualified” in the fourth paragraph can best be replaced by “_____”.

A．fit               B．willing            C．bored            D．worried

3.According to Ruano, _____.

A．he is good at teaching himself

B．most students plan to go to college

C．his school is going to be closed

D．most students are hopeful about their school

4.What would be the best title for the text?

A．What caused education cuts?              B．Education cuts, right or wrong?

C．Education cuts have hurt students           D．How to deal with education cuts

 

Today, in many high schools, teaching is now a technical miracle of computer labs, digital cameras.  DVD players and laptops. Teachers can e-mail parents, post messages for students on online bulletin(公告，告示) boards, and take attendance with a quick movement of a mouse.

Even though we are now living in the digital age, the basic and most important element of education has not changed. Most students still need that one-on-one, teacher-student relationship to learn and to succeed. Teenagers need instruction in English, math or history, but they also want personal advice and encouragement. Kids talk with me about their families, their weekend plans, their favorite TV shows and their relationship problems. In my English and journalism class, we talk about Shakespeare and persuasive(富有哲理的) essays, but we also discuss college basketball, the war in Iraq and career choices. Students show me pictures of their rebuilt cars, their family vacations, and their newborn baby brothers. This personal connection is the necessary link between teachers and students that no amount of technology can improve upon or replace.

A few years ago I had a student in sophomore English who was struggling with my class and with school in general. Although he was a humorous young man who liked to joke around, I knew his family life was far from ideal. Whenever I approached him about missing homework or low test grades, he always had the same reply: “It doesn’t matter because I’m quitting school anyway.” Even though he always said this in a half-teasing way, I knew he needed to hear my different opinion and my “value of a high school education” lecture. He needed to hear this speech from me. After he left my class, he struggled through the next two years of school. But, he did finally graduate because we kept telling him to hang in there. We’d cared about him finishing school.

Recently, I saw this former student working at a local Italian restaurant. I told him again how proud I was of him. He said that he was hoping to go back to school to become a certified electrician. I encouraged him to get that training.

Students rely on compassionate teachers to guide, to tutor, to listen, to laugh and to cry with them. Teachers provide the most important link in the educational process — the human one.

The first paragraph mainly discusses _______.

    A．the variety of modern teaching methods

    B．the wide use of modern technology in education

    C．the importance of teacher-parent relationship

    D．the importance of using modern technology

The underlined word “compassionate” in Para 5 means          .

    A．ambitious    B．knowledgeable    C．sympathetic  D．generous

According to the text, the most important element in education is         .

    A．teacher’s good instruction  B．advanced technology

    C．teachers’ encouragement D．personal connection

The author states his view of education by         .

    A．example  B．description  C．figure   D．comparison

Today, in many high schools, teaching is now a technical miracle of computer labs, digital cameras, DVD players and laptops. Teachers can e-mail parents, post messages for students on online bulletin(公告，告示) boards, and take attendance with a quick movement of a mouse.

Even though we are now living in the digital age, the basic and most important element of education has not changed. Most students still need that one-on-one, teacher-student relationship to learn and to succeed. Teenagers need instruction in English, math or history, but they also want personal advice and encouragement. Kids talk with me about their families, their weekend plans, their favorite TV shows and their relationship problems. In my English and journalism classes, we talk about Shakespeare and persuasive(富有哲理的) essays, but we also discuss college basketball, the war in Iraq and career choices. Students show me pictures of their rebuilt cars, their family vacations, and their newborn baby brothers. This personal connection is the necessary link between teachers and students that no amount of technology can improve upon or replace.

A few years ago I had a student in sophomore English who was struggling with my class and with school in general. Although he was a humorous young man who liked to joke around, I knew his family life was far from ideal. Whenever I approached him about missing homework or low test grades, he always had the same reply, “It doesn't matter because I'm quitting school anyway.” Even though he always said this in a half-teasing way, I knew he needed to hear my different opinion and my “value of a high school education” lecture. He needed to hear this speech from me. After he left my class, he struggled through the next two years of school. But, he did finally graduate because we kept telling him to hang in there. We’d cared about him finishing school.

Recently, I saw this former student working at a local Italian restaurant. I told him again how proud I was of him. He said that he was hoping to go back to school to become a certified electrician. I encouraged him to get that training.

Students rely on compassionate teachers to guide, to tutor, to listen, to laugh and to cry with them. Teachers provide the most important link in the educational process—the human one.

1.The first paragraph mainly talks about _____________.

A. the variety of modern teaching methods.

B. the wide use of modern technology in education

C. the importance of teacher-parent relationship.

D. the importance of using modern technology.

2.The underlined word “ compassionate” in Para 5 means ____________.

A. ambitious       B. knowledgeable     C. sympathetic       D. generous

3.According to the text, the most important element in education is _________.

A. teachers’ good instruction       B. advanced technology

C. teachers’ encouragement        D. personal connection

4.The author states his view of education by __________.

A. example     B. description      C. figure       D. Comparison