It's tough for students in Asia's giant countries, where the competition for college entrance can be fierce. In India, over a million students have been finding out their final results in various high school exams. You have to get 90% or better in the 12th boards — India's final year tests which are mostly held in March 一 to get into many top school and university courses. In China, the world's biggest university entrance test, commonly known as the Gaokao, is an academic testing event held in June in Chinese mainland and is joined by millions of participants.
Perhaps all that pressure and stress is why, this year, thousands have been clicking on videos and pictures with a clear message: there's more to life than getting into college.
In India, in a video message, Indian comedian and actor Vir Das told students not to worry about their marks. More than a quarter of a million people have viewed the video. You are going to meet someone, " he says, “until you discover that the person you were waiting for wasn't the person you were looking at, or person you ever thought you'd meet. You will beg and borrow and steal, so that eventually you can risk and rent and lose, so that maybe you can own and invest and grow . . . What do all of these things have in common? Not one of them requires a mark sheet. "
Das said it was inspired by his own experience after scoring poorly in the 12th boards. He said he eventually got to study his chosen subject, economics, at an American university 一 but soon after discovered drama which led to his current career.
"I thought my life was over after exams and I had a terrible two months, he said. "Students can be depressed. They need to hear from a third person that everything is all right. "
1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that the 12th boards ________.| A．take place twice a year |
| B．are the world's biggest test |
| C．take place before the Gaokao |
| D．are held in many Asian countries |
| A．Test scores aren't very important. |
| B．High school students are living a tough life. |
| C．College entrance exams are extremely difficult. |
| D．High school students need to win the college entrance exam. |
| A．He failed to attend a university. |
| B．Economics is his current career. |
| C．Drama has always been his great hobby. |
| D．He was depressed after the 12th boards. |
| A．All roads lead to Rome. |
| B．Success comes from hard work. |
| C．Attitude makes a great difference. |
| D．Your choice determines your future. |
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【推荐1】Most parents will remember their little ones grasping their leg or being unwilling to speak to someone new. But when does this stop being a natural part of a child’s growing up and become something to worry about?
Here, Heidi Gazelle, a senior lecturer in developmental psychology from the University of Melbourne, explains how shyness is of more concern if it is persistent rather than temporary.
Shyness with other children is of more concern than shyness with adults. It is common for children to be on the alert for adults, particularly men, but less common for children around their own age.
Children who engage in very little social interaction in comparison to children of their age are missing out on these important cumulative learning experiences. As a result, their social cognition, social skills and sense of self may be less mature than those of other children around their age.
Being excluded and bullied is damaging children’s emotional health and sense of self, especially when these conditions persist over time. Children need help from adults to stop exclusion and being bullied by other children. When parents become aware that their child is being excluded or bullied by other children at a childcare center or a school, they should contact the childcare center or school on their child’s behalf.
Shyness is of concern if it interferes with your child’s or family’s routines or activities, or if your child often appears miserable or complains of being lonely. For instance, if shyness prevents your child from attending other children’s birthday parties or school, or prevents your family from visiting friends, then you should consider seeking help from a child psychologist.
If a child is upset about a problem with a friend, parents can encourage the child to try to resolve the problem in a way that preserves the friendship, instead of ending the friendship, as well as encourage the child to develop other friendships.
1. What view does Heidi Gazelle hold with regards to shy children?| A．Persistent shyness is more worrying than temporary shyness. |
| B．Children’s shyness basically results from a disharmonious family. |
| C．They tend to have less shyness when meeting with unknown people. |
| D．It is more common for them to be alert when being with other children than adults. |
①Social skills. ②Sense of self. ③Overall intelligence. ④Power of observation. ⑤Social cognition.
| A．①③⑤ | B．②④⑤ | C．②③④ | D．①②⑤ |
| A．Consider transferring their child to another school or childcare center. |
| B．Get in touch with the childcare center or school. |
| C．Warn the children who bully their child. |
| D．Try to find his or her own faults. |
| A．Their child often complains about being lonely. |
| B．Their child is always ready to visit their relatives. |
| C．Their child wants to change the family’s original plan. |
| D．Their child is willing to attend other children’s birthday parties. |
【推荐2】A self-service flower shop operated by a college student in Beijing is attracting many young customers,Chinese media reported.
Different from traditional shops in the capital, the young storekeeper surnamed Wang opened the first self-service flower shop where people can select flowers and pay via mobile payment systems including WeChat and Alipay.
Born after 1995 and a lover of fiction,the young man said he began the startup because it will not take up his time."People go to flower shops at any time,"he said."I cannot focus on reading when I have to serve customers," So Wang opened the self-service flower shop after doing market research.
Most young customers like shopping in a free environment,and hate promotion from clerks,he explained,adding that customers can have their questions answered about categories and names of flowers through mobile apps.
Even though there is no shopkeeper the operation has attracted many young customers and proved to be a success,at least for now.
Although he does not sell flowers in the shop in person,Wang said he would call at it at odd intervals every day.
"It is a business with small investment,and it can not cause a huge loss if a burglary（偷盗）occurs,"he said,adding that he trusts people.
1. How do people pay for flowers? (no more than 8 words)2. Why did Wang open the self-service flower shop? (no more than 20 words)
3. What should customers do if they have their questions about flowers? (no more than 10 words)
4. What does the underlined phrase "at odd intervals" most probably mean? (no more than 4 words)
5. What do you think of the self-service flower shop?Tell your reasons. (no more than 25 words)
【推荐3】The researchers examined various levels of noise on participants as they completed tests of creative thinking. They were randomly divided into four groups and exposed to various noise levels in the background, from total silence to 50 decibels (分贝), 70 decibels, and 85 decibels. The differences between most of the groups were statistically insignificant; however, the participants in the 70 decibels group — those exposed to a level of noise similar to background chatter in a coffee shop — significantly outperformed the other groups. Since the effects were small, this may suggest that our creative thinking does not differ that much in response to total silence and 85 decibels of background noise.
So why do so many of us hate our open offices? The problem may be that, in our offices, we can’t stop ourselves from getting drawn into others’ conversations while we’re trying to focus. Indeed, the researchers found that face-to-face interactions and conversations affect the creative process, and yet a coworking space or a coffee shop provides a certain level of noise while also providing freedom from interruptions.
1. Which level of background noise may promote creative thinking ability?| A．Total silence. | B．50 decibels |
| C．70 decibels. | D．8 5 decibels. |
| A．Personal privacy unprotected. | B．Limited working space. |
| C．Restrictions on group discussion. | D．Constant interruptions. |
【推荐1】TV, iPads, and computers are fun and sometimes educational, but many people think the technology is bad. My parents let me watch one or two shows or play a game on the iPad for an hour, but then make me find thing else to do, like read or draw a picture. They say that too much screen time won’t help me become smarter.
I think that it is okay to watch TV, but not too much. And some of my friends agree.
"A tiny bit of screen time is okay,” Mateo J., 7, said. "But too much of it is not good for your brain.”
Though my friends and I sometimes complain(抱怨), we think that it's good our parents limit our screen time.
“Our parents should limit our technology time because otherwise you might get carried away and not even know that you’ve stayed inside all day watching TV, " Naomi J.,9, said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP) used to recommend(推荐) that parents let kids have about two hours of screen time per day, but in 2016, they started recommending that parents of kids 6 and older decide for themselves how much time is okay, as long as the shows and games are appropriate. The AAP still says that kids 2-5 years old should have only about one hour of screen time per day, and kids under 2 no screen time at all. The AAP says that media you’ve stayed inside all day in all forms, including TV, computers, and smartphones, can affect how children feel, learn, think, and behave. However, parents are still the most important influence.
I think TV shows like Brain Games and Cupcake Wars are inspiring. I’ve even learned some magic while watching Brain Games! Video games can be educational, as some TV shows are about nature, and other shows have useful messages. But some games and shows have bad things in them, like smoking.
You can play outside instead of watching TV. Find other things to do. You don t have to be or screens all day.
1. How much screen time do the author’s parents allow him every day?| A．No screen time. | B．Half an hour. |
| C．Only one hour. | D．About two hours |
| A．It is acceptable. | B．It is unfair to him. |
| C．It makes no sense. | D．It goes against the law. |
| A．Two hours of screen time is good for kids 2-5 years old. |
| B．Kids who spend much time on screens often behave badly. |
| C．The younger the kids are, the less screen time they should have. |
| D．Parents should not encourage kids to watch TV or play video games. |
| A．Avoid playing video games. | B．Learn from different games. |
| C．Form a good habit of learning. | D．Cut down on your screen time. |
【推荐2】Long school holidays help students clear their heads, relax a little and stretch their brains in different ways.
Traditionally, schooling schedules have long been based more on the needs of society than on education strategies(策略). For example, in Iceland it was traditionally arranged to allow children to help out with harvest. Other countries have long summer vacations because it is simply too hot to study. In other areas where religion plays an important role in the holiday season, the religion calendar then calls for the break, so that students can have enough time to participate in the religious ceremonies(仪式) and traditions of seasonal holidays.
There are some obvious advantages to a vacation that lasts longer. Families who live a long distance from relatives are able to travel together, sometimes across the ocean, in order to connect with their loved ones. Even if there is no visiting family far away, a long holiday is a great opportunity for kids to interact with the people. From an educational point of view, a child that is able to experience another culture can gain valuable language, history, and social skills.
Long school holidays are also needed in schools that have become overly academic and too exam-focused in recent years, which requires a considerably longer holiday break from such a “marathon pumping (灌输) of knowledge,” and it makes great sense!
Great psychologists, like Freud and Piaget, have stressed play’s central role in the formation of fully-rounded (全面发展的) individuals, so the long holiday achieves this by allowing students to explore the world outside school. The students get to participate in activities that would be difficult to do during a normal school term.
As a consequence, long school holiday can be quite useful to our students!
1. What traditionally determines the arrangement of school holidays?| A．Local needs. | B．Cultural activities. |
| C．Religious customs. | D．Academic performance. |
| A．Students run away from exams. |
| B．Family bonds are strengthened. |
| C．Fewer courses are required at school. |
| D．Children can learn science and history. |
| A．holiday activities are necessary |
| B．schools need longer holidays |
| C．play is more important than learning |
| D．students should travel around the world |
| A．Traditional School Holidays |
| B．Activities for Long Holidays |
| C．Benefits of Long Holidays |
| D．Advice from Psychologists |
【推荐3】The promise of college in America is the promise of a clear path to the future, of a reward for all the sleep deprivation and soul-deadening competition of high school, and, most of all, of instant adulthood. As of April, 2020, however, none of that is happening due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus（新型冠状病毒）.
Saminah Haddad, a seventeen-year-old senior at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, wasn’t expecting her college offers until later in the spring. This year, there will be no spring season, which for Haddad means no four-year college. She is considering Long Beach City College, which is free for state residents. She also lost her job at an amusement park. All of the senior-year milestones that Haddad had been looking forward to have been cancelled: prom, graduation, and an event called the “Pursuit of Excellence Awards,” where she would have been recognized for perfect attendance. She doesn’t yet know if she’ll still be working this summer for her father, who was about to open a juice bar in Brooklyn.
In the meantime, Haddad’s school is offering some online instruction, but in her case the course load has dropped to just two classes: A.P. Literature, which meets virtually, and a government class, which consists of written assignments that she receives by e-mail. Haddad is planning to take her A.P. exam, though she finds it hard to imagine what the forty-five-minute, cell-phone-friendly version of the test will be like. No one knows how colleges will view it, either.
Life has been emptied of content, and the plot is lost. She texts with friends. She argues with her mom and stepdad a lot. “It’s bringing us closer together,” she half joked. “But it’s O.K.”
1. What can be known about Haddad from Paragraph 2?| A．She has applied to study abroad. |
| B．She will attend a graduation ceremony. |
| C．She won’t work in her father’s juice bar. |
| D．She may get her college offers in late spring. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Bored. |
| C．Excited. | D．Nervous. |
| A．Family. | B．Society. |
| C．Education . | D．Health. |
【推荐1】At a farm off Narrow Lane near Lexington, Kentucky, US, old-fashioned houses look over the little red barn(畜棚). The farm is mostly empty now. Jim Mahan and his family, who lived there for generations, have moved to a different plot of land in northern Fayette County. As land is sold, houses go up where there once were fields.
But during the summer, the barn is filled with city kids who have come to enjoy the farm. They’re members of the Fayette County Livestock(FCL)Club, which showcases (展示) various skills. The barn is where they look after the animals. “A lot of Lexington kids don’t know anything about farm life,” said Adria Meier, 17, who has looked after goats and sheep for three years. “There is so much to learn.”
The dozen or so children who take care of their goats and sheep at the little red barn must take a six-hour class before they get an animal. They pay for their own animals but get special club programs, such as one that provides vet (兽医) care.
Mahan lets the group use the barn for free, and the kids spend up to three hours a day there during the summer. But as his land gets sold, he doesn’t know whether the club can continue. What makes the FCL Club special is that most of the kids can walk out their doors and take care of their animals. Most are driven to the barn by their mothers, who usually hang around and chat as their kids feed and exercise the animals.
There are valuable lessons learned along the way. For instance, don’t cut wool off your goat when there is wind, and sheep are social animals and will cry loudly when separated. “Tending to animals helps teach us responsibility. Unlike learning to shoot an arrow, caring for an animal isn’t something you can simply abandon,” said Carly Playforth, 16, from Lexington
1. What is the requirement for kids before they get animals?| A．Having various skills. | B．Paying certain money. |
| C．Attending a class. | D．Getting special club programs. |
| A．It offers services unconditionally. | B．It allows mothers to push kids. |
| C．It lets mothers care for animals. | D．It pays for the use of the barn. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Doubtful. | C．Supportive. | D．Negative. |
| A．Kids’ life on a sold farm. | B．Valuable lessons learned on the farm. |
| C．A special club intended for Lexington kids. | D．A club activity of caring for farm animals. |
【推荐2】From this September, the new policy on students’ sleeping time set by the Ministry of Education has been officially carried out nationwide. According to the new policy, the first class in the morning at primary schools is not supposed to be earlier than 8:20, and that of high schools no earlier than 8:00. Schools are also not able to require students to come in before class for any learning activities. If possible, schools must also guarantee nap time during lunch break for students. The new policy shows the importance the government attaches to students’ health.
Deng Mengyu, a high school English teacher from Shenzhen Hongshan Middle School, said that their school already put some measures into effect to make sure that students are well rested and using their time effectively. “We encourage students to manage their morning time by themselves instead of sitting in the classroom,” she said. Some students need more sleep while others prefer doing exercise to start the day. So the school’s dormitories open doors at 6:00. At noon, students will have a one-hour nap time, ensuring that they can learn effectively in the afternoon.
Zheng Xiaowan, a high school student also from Shenzhen Hongshan Middle School, supports this policy. She believes that the quality of studying is not necessarily related to the length of time spent on it. “When well rested, students’ psychological burden will be reduced accordingly, and they will be more ready for study tasks,” she said.
Meanwhile, there are also voices expressing concerns. “The new policy is a challenge to our self-discipline”, said Zhang Fuyue from Chaoyang No 2 High School, Liaoning province. “More sleeping time can lead to oversleeping in the morning or staying up late at night.”
The intention of the policy is obviously positive. With efforts from both schools and students, the policy can lead to expected results.
1. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?| A．Students have their sleeping time set by the government. |
| B．Students will start their first class later than before. |
| C．Students needn’t do learning activities at school. |
| D．Students are required to take a nap at class. |
| A．By encouraging students to do morning exercise. |
| B．By opening their dorm doors as early as possible. |
| C．By shortening students’ nap time during lunch break. |
| D．By giving students more freedom to manage their time. |
| A．New requirements for students. | B．The new policy’s effects on students. |
| C．Different responses to the new policy. | D．Problems that exist in the new policy. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Critical. | C．Positive. | D．Negative. |
【推荐3】You might be crazy about Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” as an English learner, but what do you think British teenagers studying Chinese are crazy about? Well, it’s Cao Xueqin’s classic, “The Dream of the Red Chamber”.
On December 18, nine British students arrived in Beijing for a seven-day trip after winning a Chinese Speaking Competition in Britain.
More than 170 students from 36 secondary schools took part in that competition last month. It was organized by the British Council. Three of the students coming to Beijing won first prizes for Language Ability. The other six were first prize winners for a dramatic performance in Chinese entitled (剧名为)“A New Home for Lin Daiyu”.
“We chose to perform this drama because we all love the characters in the tragic story. They’re traditional and loveable,” said Imogen Williams, 13, who played the lead role, in Daiyu. Williams said her group spent all their lunch breaks for nearly two months together, watching the drama, studying the characters, and practicing.
“We were excited to win the grand prize — the trip to Beijing. My mum even cried when she heard the news！” recalled Alice Clark-Edwards, who was “Wang Xifeng” in the drama.
These students have fallen in love with Chinese literature and are crazy about Chinese music and movies. “I love Jay Chou, Wilber Pan and the boy band Flowers. As for actresses, Zhang Ziyi is my favorite,” said Nishat Ali, 16.
1. Nine British students came to Beijing to ________.| A．perform “Romeo and Juliet” | B．go on a seven-day trip |
| C．watch “The Dream of the Red Chamber” | D．take part in the competition |
| A．the British Council | B．the drama college | C．Beijing | D．the middle school |
| A．are crazy about Chinese literature | B．fall in love with Cao Xueqin’s classic |
| C．are not fond of “Romeo and Juliet” | D．don't like traditional performance |
| A．“Wang Xifeng” in the drama is well-known in Britain. |
| B．Stars and singers like Zhang Ziyi and Jay Chou are known. |
| C．Chinese music and films have an effect on British students. |
| D．Williams and her group practice often in the school. |
