Make the Most of College

Dear Daughter,

As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.

First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are.

Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn’t critical for your life, the learning skills you acquire will be something you will cherish forever.

Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don’t be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind.

Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life. Pick a few friends and become really close to them – pick the ones who are genuine to you. Don’t worry about their hobbies, grades, looks or even personalities.

Start planning early – what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses.

Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver’s seat – this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you’ll love it!

College is the four years where you have:　

The greatest amount of free time

the first chance to be independent

the most flexibility（灵活性）to change 

the lowest risk for making mistakes

So please treasure your college years – make full use of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, be bold to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges.

May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be.

                                                    Love,

Dad (&Mom)

What does the author think college life holds in store for his daughter?

A. Uncertainty                                          B. Pure enjoyment.

C. Successes and challenges.                D. Experimentation with life.

What does the author advise his daughter to do in college?

A. Plan everything.                                  

B. Party with friends in her free time.

C. Ignore what others think or say.     

D. Treasure and make the best of her college years.

Which of these pieces of advice is given in the article?

a. think and live independently

b. learn how to learn

c. choose friends with similar personalities

d. be genuine and sincere

e. try new things

A. abe                   B. bce                   C. cde                   D. abc

From the text, we can conclude the father ______.

A. is worried about his daughter

B. is strict with his daughter

C. is optimistic about his daughter’s future

D. is sad that his daughter is leaving home

Goats are amazing animals. They can survive just about anywhere. Altogether there are nine species of goats in the world.

Goats have more uses than you could ever imagine. Goat’s meat can be eaten and goat’s milk is becoming popular as a healthy choice to drink milk. Goat’s milk is easier to take in than cow’s milk and it is called universal milk as it can be used to bottle-feed most animals. In nutrition, it is also good. Goat’s skins are still used today to make gloves and other items of clothing. The initial reasons for domesticating (驯化) goats were to get goat’s hair, meat and milk. Goat’s skins were used up until the Middle Ages for making bottles to hold water and wine for people who were traveling or camping.

Just like sheep, goats are considered to be the first domesticated animal. The domestication process began over 10,000 years ago in a North Iranian town. A lot of people keep goats as pets nowadays.

Goats are easily trained and you can teach them to pull carts and walk on ropes. Goats are also known for escaping their pens (圈). If you have unsecured fencing, your goats will be interested in it and test it out and soon you will know where the openings are. Goats are also widely known for their ability to climb trees, although the tree generally has to be at a slight angle (角度).

If goats are raised correctly and trained from an early age, they never develop any bad habits. Goats will attack each other. However, if they’re corrected from an early age they never attack humans or other animals.

The passage is written mainly 　    　.

A. to tell people how to raise goats      B. to let people know more about goats

C. to explain how goats are domesticated    D. to describe goats of different uses

Why is goat’s milk called universal milk?

A. It is rich in nutrition and easy to take in.        B. It is good for our health.

C. It is suitable to feed most animals.   D. It is easy to get.

If you want to keep a goat as a pet, it is important 　    　.

A. to get along well with it             B. to find a professional trainer

C. to develop its ability       D. to train it when young

Which of the following words can best describe goats?

A. Curious and clever.        B. Unfriendly and naughty.

C. Careful and lazy.            D. Stubborn and quiet.

For most of the day construction worker Sidney Smith and his brother – in – law Joseph Chambers had been   21  along the banks of Lake Waco with little   22 . Chambers suggested they go home, but Smith　33　　that there were still several hours of daylight　24　　and there was one other place they might try a bit longer before 　25　.
Smith drove his pickup（小货车）a couple of miles along the　26　road to get to the other side of the lake. This road, in the truest sense, was a path wagging in the heavy　27　area. Even with the sun still high in the cloudless sky, the　28　of trees formed a leafy　29　over the road and it suddenly seemed 　30　in the evening.
“A guy could get lost and nobody would ever find him,” said Chambers.
Smith smiled, “We’re　31　there.” He said. A few seconds later, the smile was 　32　　from his face.
“What the hell is that?”
　　He braked to a stop. Less than twenty feet away was what appeared to be a  33 .
　　For several minutes the two men sat in the pickup　34　to decide whether they had happened to　35　someone’s bad practical joke or something far more serious. Smith with his brother-in-law got out of the pickup and 　36　walked towards that thing some distance before them.
It was a young man who was already dead. They had got to tell　37　. Back into the pickup, Smith backed the pickup down the road　38　he could turn around, then　39　back. With the dead young man still on his mind, Smith felt as if he was going to be sick. God, how he　40　　they had given up fishing and gone home early.

Nick was tired of life，every day was exactly the same.

“What I need is a little adventure!”Nick thought as he waited at the bus stop one morning.Nick’s little adventure happened sooner than he had expected!

While he was on the bus，reading his newspaper，the man sitting next to him suddenly pushed a large brown envelope in his hands.“Here，take this!”he murmured.Then he stood up and got off the bus before Nick could say a word.

Nick sat there holding the envelope.It felt heavy.There were papers inside，or money perhaps.“I’d better hand it over to the police，”he thought.There was a police station close to his office.But as he got off the bus，a man came up to him.He was obviously waiting for something.“He wants the envelope.”Nick thought.Nick began to walk quickly and the man hurried after him.Nick started to run and the man began to run，too.But then，just before he got to the police station.Nick managed to lose the man in the crowds when he entered the police station，the man was no longer in sight.

Inside the police station，the envelope was full of money—false money.“Obviously the man made a mistake，”the inspector said，“He thought you were one of the gang! Well，congratulations!”

Nick felt like a hero.He could already see his name in all the papers.He could imagine an interview on television!

“However，”the inspector went on，interrupting Nick’s daydreams.“I’m afraid I must ask you to keep quiet about this.We’re trying to catch some very clever thieves and we don’t want them to know that we have some of the money.So you mustn’t say a word to anyone—even your boss! Sorry!”

“So that’s that!”Nick said to himself on his way to the office.He was over an hour late.“I’ve had my little adventure，but I can’t tell anyone about it.So what’s the point? I’ve even got to make up an excuse to the boss!”

46.Nick was bored because his life wasn’t ______.

A.very pleasant　　　　                                  B.very easy

C.full of amusement　　　　                           D.interesting

47.The man gave Nick an envelope while Nick was going______.

A.to his office　　　　                                    B.to get off the bus

C.to take the bus　　　　                                D.to get on the bus

48.Nick decided to take the envelope to the police because he thought it was______.

A.dangerous　　　　                                      B.heavy

C.important　　　　                                       D.funny

49.The man who wanted the envelope knew______.

A.Nick’s boss　　　　                                     B.Nick’s name

C.about the envelope　　　　                          D.about Nick’s adventure

50.After his adventure，Nick expected to be______.

A.rich　　　　                                               B.important

C.famous　　　　                                           D.an adventurer

A major source of teen stress is school exams, and test anxiety is not uncommon. When you recognize your teen is under stress, how can parents help your teen stay calm before an exam?
　　Be involved (介入，参与). Parents need to be involved in their teen’s work. 　【小题1】　What they look for is your patience—to talk, to cry, or simply to sit with them quietly. Communicate openly with your teen. Encourage your teen to express her worries and fears, but don’t let them focus on those fears.
　　Help them get organized. 　【小题2】　Together, you and your teen can work out a timetable in which she can study for what she knows will be on the test.
　　Provide a calm setting. Help your teen set up a quiet place to study and protect her privacy. Give them a nutritious diet. It is important for your teen to eat a healthy, balanced diet during exam times to focus and do her best. 　【小题3】　If this happens, encourage your teen to eat light meals or sandwiches.
　　　【小题4】　Persuade your teenager to get some sleep and/or do something active when she needs a real break from studying. Help your teen balance her time so that she will feel comfortable taking time out from studying to spend time with friends or rest.
　　Show a positive attitude. 　【小题5】　Your panic, anxiety and blame contribute to your teen’s pressure. Make your teen feel accepted and valued for her efforts. Most importantly, reassure your teen that things will be all right, no matter what the results are.