【推荐1】How is it that siblings(兄弟姐妹) can turn out so differently? One answer is that in fact each sibling grows up in a different family. The firstborn is, for a while, an only child, and therefore has a completely different experience of the parents than those born later. The next child is, for a while, the youngest, until the situation is changed by a new arrival. The mother and father themselves are changing and growing up too. One sibling might live in a stable and close family in the first few years; another might be raised in a family crisis, with a disappointed mother or an angry father.

Sibling competition was identified as an important shaping force as early as in 1918.But more recently, researchers have found many ways in which brothers and sisters are a lasting force in each others'lives. Dr. Annette Henderson says firstborn children pick up vocabulary more quickly than their siblings. The reason for this might be that the later children aren't getting the same one-on-one time with parents. But that doesn't mean that the younger children have problems with language development. Later-borns don't enjoy that much talking time with parents, but instead they harvest lessons from bigger brothers and sisters, learning entire phrases and getting an understanding of sodial concepts such as the difference between"I"and"me".

A Cambridge University study of 140 children found that siblings created a rich world play that helped them grow socially. Love-hate relationships were common among the children.Even those siblings who fought the most had just as much positive communication as the other sibling pairs.

One way children seek more attention from parents is by making themselves different from their siblings, particularly if they are close in age. Researchers have found that the first two children in a family are typically more different from each other than the second and third. Girls with brothers show their differences to a maximum degree by being more feminine than girls with sisters. A 200.3 research paper studied adolescents from 185 families over two years, finding that those who changed to make themselves different from their siblings were successful in increasing the amount of warmth they gained from their parents.

1. The underlined part "in a different family"(in Para. 1)means“____________________”。

A．in different families	B．in a different family tradition
C．in different family crises	D．in a different family environment

2. In terms of language development,   later- borns ________________.

A．learn a lot from their elder siblings	B．get their parents' individual guidance
C．experience a lot of difficulties	D．pick up words more quickly

3. What was found about fights among siblings?

A．Siblings learned to get on together from fights.

B．Siblings in some families fought frequently.

C．Sibling fights led to bad sibling relationships.

D．Siblings hated fighting and loved playing.

【推荐2】There is a country — I read about it once — where the local custom is that if you go to a house and praise some small possession, the owners feel obliged to offer it to you as a gift. The only other place I know of with such a custom is my mother’s apartment.

Knowing Mama, I have always been careful with my compliments, but that doesn’t stop her. If she catches me staring at anything small enough to put in a grocery bag, she hands it to me as I leave. It would do no good to protest. “I was merely staring at that photograph of Mount Hood because I have one exactly like it in my living room.” Mama would only nod and say, “Of course. You were thinking how nice it would be to have a set. If a mother doesn’t understand, who does?”

As far as I can remember, Mama was telling people they were in the wrong line of work and suggesting alternative careers. My turn came when I grew up and became a housewife. “You missed your calling,” Mama sighs, examining the doodles (涂鸦) on my phone book. “You should have been an artist.” Later, I tell her how I returned rancid fish to the supermarket and demanded a refund, and she links this to lawyer. I know it’s horsefathers, but I like it.

I have been worrying for weeks now about what to give my mother for Mother’s Day. There is always the danger that a gift given to Mama will bounce swiftly back to the giver. If I buy her something wearable, she perceives in an instant that it could be let in here, let out there, and it would fit me perfectly. If I give her a plant, she cuts off the top for me to take home and root in a glass of water. If I give her something edible, she wants me to stay for lunch and cat it.

Papa, a sensible man, long ago stopped trying to shop for Mama. Instead, on Mother’s Day, her birthday, and other appropriate occasions, he composes a short poem in which he tells of their life. After nearly 30 years of poems, Papa sometimes worries that the edge of his inspiration has dulled, but Mama doesn’t complain. She comes into the room while he is struggling over a gift poem and says, “It doesn’t have to rhyme (押韵) as long as it’s from the heart.”

This year, finally, I think, too, have found a painless gift for Mama. I am going to give her a magazine article, in which I wish her “Happy Mother’s Day” and tell her there’s nothing Papa or I could ever buy, find, or make her that would be half good enough anyway.

1. What can be learned about the “my” mum from Paragraph 2?

A．She doesn’t like “my” complements.

B．She doesn’t think I am careful enough.

C．She will give “me” whatever she thinks “I” like.

D．She takes it for granted that “I” love what she has.

2. By “it’s horsefeathers” (paragraph 3), “I” imply that ______.

A．being an artist has always been “my” dream

B．what “my” mother says makes no sense

C．“my” mother knows well about “me”

D．“my” mother is too involved in “my” choices of job

3. Why am “I” worried about “my” gift for Mother’s Day?

A．It may well end up in a dustbin.

B．It will hardly satisfy “my” mother.

C．It may be returned to “me” in some way.

D．It will be given to someone else in the neighbourhood.

4. What can be concluded from the passage?

A．“I” love “my” mother very much.

B．Being sensible is important for an adult.

C．“My” mother dreams of becoming a poet.

D．“My” father no longer gives “my” mother any gift.

【推荐3】A teenager needs to have a sense of independence in their life to feel secure (安全的). To some teenagers independence means a lot to them, and I think that some parents don’t allow their teenagers enough independence.

Independence has something to do with freedom. Some kids are not allowed to go anywhere alone, and the only thing their schedule includes is going to school, coming home, going to sleep, and repeating the process the next day. Parents tend to be afraid that their kids can get hurt if they go outside into the world. But if parents control their kids too much, they may never learn to live on their own. The best way for a teenager to learn lesson is through experience. I think it is beneficial for teenagers to have freedom.

Teenagers’ lack of freedom can also stop them from having good friendship at school. Some might say this is a good thing, because it helps them focus more on their school work. I argue that this can only discourage them not to do their school work. Some parents do not allow their children to be around their friends outside the school, thinking that this will get them into trouble. But I don’t think so. Instead, isn’t this a good reason for parents to get their children a cellphone? Cellphones allow teenagers to stay in touch with their parents, and communicate with friends.

Privacy is another issue between parents and their teenagers. Teenagers tend to enjoy relaxation by themselves in their own room. This also gives them a sense of independence. It often annoys teenagers when their parents enter their room when they are not home. I know that my mom always goes in my room when I’m not home, and this has brought me to the point where I have asked many times to get a lock on my door.

1. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．Kids know how to live independently.

B．Some parents allow their kids no freedom.

C．It benefits teenagers to have freedom.

D．Kids have a dull routine every day

2. In the opinion of the author, ___________.

A．parents should make it easy for kids to communicate with their friends

B．good friendships between kids harm their school work

C．it is unnecessary for a kid to have a cellphone

D．kids should focus on the school work

3. How do teenagers usually feel when their parents enter their rooms in their absence?

A．Disappointed	B．Lucky
C．Angry	D．Calm

4. The author hopes to have her door locked in order to ___________.

A．keep her father from reading her dairy

B．prevent her mother entering her room

C．Protect herself from any harm

D．Stop thieves from going in

【推荐1】Julian Beever is a well-known British artist. His drawings have appeared on the streets of London, Paris, Tokyo, New York and many other cities around the world. Beever creates what looks like a three-dimensional design(三维设计). From animals to heroes to buildings, the paintings are a wonder for our eyes to see.

In his book Pavement Chalk Artist, Beever shares some of his most attractive and humorous pieces. Here are the examples you will find in the book.

Philadelphia Eagle, created in the USA, is a huge drawing with an eagle(鹰) landing on an American national flag. Meeting Mr Frog was created in Spain and is about a realistic-looking (样子逼真的) frog sitting on a lily pad(睡莲叶子). Swimming Pool in the High Street is about a woman relaxing in a swimming pool sunk into the middle of the street.

Along with an introduction about his background, Beever shares information about his time at home in the UK and abroad. With a fun story coming after each piece of art, this 112-page book is really worth another look.

1. The text mainly talks about ________.

A．a three-dimensional design	B．famous artists in Spain
C．an attractive drawing	D．Julian Beever and his book

2. Julian Beever comes from ________.

A．the UK

B．France

C．Japan

D．the USA

3. Which of the art pieces can NOT be found in the book Pavement Chalk Artist?

A．Sharing information.	B．Meeting Mr Frog.
C．Swimming Pool in the High Street.	D．Philadelphia Eagle.

4. What do people think of Beever’s drawings?

A．Terrible.

B．Wonderful.

C．Different.

D．Boring.

【推荐2】Do you like chocolate? Maybe most people do. A box of it can be a great gift. Buy one for a friend and give it as a surprise. See how happy that person gets.

Say you just got a box of chocolate. Which piece do you pick first? A man has studied people’s choices. He says they tell something about the person. Did you choose a round piece? You are a person who likes to party. Did you choose an oval (椭圆形的)shape? You are a person who likes to make things. Picking a square shape shows something else. The person is honest and truthful. You can depend on him or her.

What kind of chocolate do you pick? Maybe you like milk chocolate. This shows you have warm feeling about the past. Dark chocolate means something else. A person who chooses it looks toward the future. What about white chocolate? Would you choose it? If so, you may find it hard to make up your mind. Some people like chocolate with nuts(果仁). These are people who like to help others.

Do you believe these ideas? Can candy tell all these things? It doesn’t really matter. There is one sure thing about eaters of chocolate. They eat it because they like it.

1. This passage mainly tells us ______.

A．why people like chocolate	B．almost everyone likes chocolate
C．about different kinds of chocolate	D．different choice may show different characters

2. Picking a round shape of chocolate shows that a person______

A．likes singing, dancing and drinking	B．likes to do something for others
C．is good at making things	D．can be depended on

3. If you enjoy eating milk chocolate, you may______

A．look forward to the future	B．like to think of the past
C．enjoy parties and fun	D．have trouble making decisions

4. From the passage we can say that a helpful man may choose chocolate_____

A．in oval shape

B．in square shape

C．with nuts

D．with coffee

5. The last paragraph suggests that the writer_____.

A．believes all the information about chocolate

B．does not believe the information about candy

C．is trying to get you to believe false information

D．doesn’t think it important whether you believe the ideas

【推荐3】While scientists have many ideas, they are not certain why humans yawn(打哈欠). Still, there is one thing experts know—yawns seem to be contagious(传染)!

Have you ever caught a yawn from someone else? Most people have. In fact, a person is six times more likely to yawn after seeing someone else do so. Experts have done many studies into why yawns seem to pass from person to person. As a result, they have a few theories(理论) for the reason behind it.

One possible explanation has something to do with social mirroring, which is caused by mirror neurons(镜像神经元) in the brain. These mirror neurons help the brain notice useful behavior of others and then copy it. When one person sees another yawn, his mirror neurons observe the action and consider it to be beneficial. That may cause him to yawn, too.

Another popular theory is that yawns are contagious because of social relationships. Being social creatures, humans form friendships, families and live together in groups. That’s why many people mirror others, such as smiling when another person smiles. Yawning may be just another example of this. In fact, research has shown that one is most likely to catch yawns from another person if the two share a social relationship.

The answer could even be that yawns aren’t truly contagious at all. Instead, people yawn together simply because they’re in the same environment. Experts say many things may cause yawning, including temperature and time of day. Whatever the explanation is, experts do know that contagious yawns aren’t limited to humans. One study found that lions in South Africa also caught each other’s yawns.

1. What kind of behavior may be copied by mirror neurons?

A．Important and attractive.	B．Useful and beneficial.
C．Hard to understand.	D．Easy to copy.

2. Whose yawns are people most likely to catch according to Paragraph 4?

A．Those who yawn a lot.	B．Those who like smiling.
C．Those closely connected with them.	D．Those sharing the same interest with them.

3. What might the author continue talking about in the following paragraph?

A．Tips on how to avoid yawning in public.

B．A real explanation for contagious yawning.

C．Other examples of animals yawning together.

D．Things that may cause yawning among humans.

4. Which of the following serves as the best title?

A．Why yawns are contagious	B．What causes people to yawn
C．Who yawns more than others	D．Why humans yawn now and then

【推荐2】The story told to all American children about honesty is about the cherry tree that President George Washington cut when he was a boy. In China, every child knows the story of Lei Feng, the young soldier who helped others and was very honest. The stories of George Washington and Lei Feng help us understand the importance of being honest.

Every teacher wants his or her students to be honest. If every student can be honest in their childhood, they will be honest when they become adults. The country will then be known as an honest country and it will be respected by everyone.

Usually, it is the father and the mother who give the first lessons of honesty. George Washington learned honesty from his father.

A favorite Chinese story is about a young man who went to the market to buy food for his mother. There was a very young girl there who was selling flowers. The young man stole one flower when the girl served her customer.

When he went home, he began to think what he had done. He went back to the market to find the girl. He told her that he was sorry and that he wanted to pay her for the flower. The little girl refused and said, "You do not need to pay for the flower, elder brother. Since you took it, I thought you had a reason to take it so I did not worry about receiving money for it."The young man was ashamed that he stole the flower. He could never forget about the importance of being honest.

1. What do we know from the stories of George Washington and Lei Feng?

A．George Washington was the president of America.

B．Lei Feng was a young soldier who helped others.

C．We had heard the stories when we were only children.

D．They help us understand the importance of being honest.

2. Who is the first person to give lessons of honest to a child?

A．George Washington.

B．Lei Feng.

C．Parents.

D．Teacher.

3. Why did the little girl refuse to get the young man’s money?

A．Because the young man had realized his mistake.

B．Because her flowers were free.

C．Because she knew the young man well.

D．Because the flowers were very cheap, and she sent one to the young man.

4. Why is the education of honesty so important in school education?

A．Because it is one of the lessons required for study in every country.

B．Because if a child is honest in his/her childhood, he/she will be honest when growing up.

C．Because honest people are becoming less and less in most countries.

D．Because teachers are afraid of students’ stealing things when they are still in school.

【推荐3】Each year, millions of children around the world are unable to go to school. To draw attention to this widespread problem, the United Nations (UN) is putting education first. Recently, the UN screened a documentary film (纪录片) called Back to School. The film is the second in a series of documentaries for the 12-­year project “Time for School”.

These films follow seven children from seven different countries. This 12­year project began in 2003, when the children first started school. “This is something we could do to help the education crisis in the world,” said producer and writer Judy Katz. “Documentary film­makers can get deeply involved in a problem and do something about it.”

More than 100 million children will never set foot in schools, sixty percent of whom are girls. Cheryl Faye, head of the UN Girls Education Initiative, spoke about the many factors that prevent girls from getting an education. One problem is the long distance many children must travel to get to school. Also, girls in many cultures are traditionally expected to marry early and work to help their families. “We need to make a special effort for girls,” Faye said.

As part of the UN’s goals, the organization wants every single child to get at least an elementary education by 2015.

Students from Lawrence Middle School in New York were deeply moved after they saw the film. The seventh-grade class is raising money to help build a library on the outskirts (郊区) of Nairobi, Kenya, where Joab—a child in the documentary lives. The class teacher, Karen Weiner, and the class are known in their school as the “Kenya crew”. All the kids were really happy to support Joab and said they felt great about their fund-raising efforts. Like the seventh-graders at Lawrence Middle School, kids can work together to make a difference in places like Nairobi. By raising money for education, kids can help children on the other side of the world have a chance at a better, happier life.

1. What is the purpose of the UN screening a documentary film Back to School?

A．To raise funds for global education.

B．To show the achievements which have been made in the past few years.

C．To raise public awareness of the need for global education.

D．To encourage all the children to come back to school.

2. Why should special efforts be made for girls?

A．Because more than one half of the children who never go to school are girls.

B．Because more than 100 million girls will never go to school.

C．Because most of the girls are tired of going to school.

D．Because sixty percent of the children in the world are girls.

3. Which of the following could NOT be the factor that prevents girls from getting an education?

A．Long distance from school.	B．Helping work for the family.
C．Early marriage.	D．Being born weak.

4. Why are the class teacher, Karen Weiner, and the class considered as “Kenya crew”?

A．Because they all have the same experience as Joab--the Kenya child.

B．Because they are the actors in the documentary film Back to School.

C．Because they are mostly from Kenya, where the child in the documentary lives.

D．Because they are trying their great efforts to raise money for the education of Kenya children.

5. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．American middle school students’ desire to go to Kenya.

B．The content of the documentary film Back to School.

C．An example of being inspired to take action after seeing the film.

D．How students from Lawrence Middle School raise money for their education.