The Benefits of After-school Activities
Your kid is asking for piano lessons, joining a soccer team or taking ballet classes, but you’re not so sure that your money will be well spent.
Build confidence through creative hobbies
From arts and poem writing to music and crafts, there are lots of creative after-school activities available out there for kids of all ages. Not only do these classes stimulate your little one’s imagination, but they also encourage curiosity.
These days, the fast-paced world we live in causes stress to us all, including children — and providing fun environments and spaces where they can feel safe and creative is an excellent idea to help your child reduce the stress.
Gain physical and psychological strength with sports
Avoiding childhood obesity has become a real issue in a world where kids spend more and more time indoors, glued to screens. But if your child shows any interest in a sport (even if just by watching it on their iPad), grab the opportunity and introduce after-school activities that focus on said physical activity. In these activities, your kids can also learn important lessons like respecting others and teamwork.
| A．Reduce stress with after-school activities |
| B．Boost children’s enthusiasm and participation in class |
| C．When your kids spend 80 percent of their hours at school |
| D．Besides, they make your child more confident in the process |
| E．If you can’t decide about sending your kids to after-school activities |
| F．Choosing activities that don’t put extra pressure on your kids is also essential |
| G．Most importantly, your children can develop their mental strength while doing sports |
相似题推荐
As we drove off from Columbia University, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.
College will be the most important years in your life.It is in college that you will truly discover what learning is about.I encourage you to be inquisitive, but I also want to tell you: "Education is what you have left after all that is taught is forgotten." What I mean by that is the materials taught aren't as important as your gaining the ability to learn a new subject, and the ability to analyse a new problem.That is really what learning in college is about—this will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become a self-learner.So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life, the skills of learning will be something you cherish forever, so do your best in classes and learn.
Take care of yourself and follow your passion in college.Take courses you think you will enjoy.Don't be trapped in what others think or say.
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 and sincere to you.People are not perfect, so as long as they are genuine and sincere, trust them and be good to them.They will give back.This is my secret of success—I am genuine with people and trust them (unless they do something to lose my trust).
Please treasure your college years—make the best 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 Columbia University become the happiest four years in your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be.
Love,
Dad
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?| A．Education is what you learn at school. |
| B．Ability is more important than knowledge. |
| C．Learning and analysing are equally important. |
| D．Colleges only focus on skills of learning. |
| A．ask for his advice on her choice |
| B．make a lot of friends |
| C．get along well with her friends |
| D．spare no effort to succeed |
| A．wise and caring |
| B．strict and warm-hearted |
| C．generous and talented |
| D．diligent and successful |
| A．To inform his daughter of college life. |
| B．To show father's love. |
| C．To broaden his daughter's mind. |
| D．To guide his daughter. |
【推荐2】In America, when the eighth graders leave the middle school, they are often worried about moving to the high school. It is a hard time for them, but it can be an exciting one as well. To make it easier, students need to get familiar with their school.
Even though they’ve done this already in the middle school, it’s still important to find where their classrooms are. Most schools take students to the high school for a visit at the end of their eighth grade year. And, most schools also have a freshman (新生) speech for parents and students before the first year begins. Sometimes the main office will give away a map of the school. This can help students and parents to find different places in the school.
One way to know your high school more and make new friends is to join a club or play a sport. Schools often offer chances to join different clubs and sports. Fall activities begin in August before the first day of school. If you are not interested in sports, there are clubs for any interest, such as drama, dance, chess, photography, community service, etc. These clubs allow students from different grades. By joining an activity, students can find new friendships, not to mention improving their chances in future college applications (申请). The school office will have a list of activities offered at the school and information on how to join them.
What’s more, to have a great start to a high school year, students can write down some of their worries, and ask for help from teachers and school workers.
1. According to the text, most students feel ________ when entering the high school.| A．excited | B．nervous | C．lonely | D．disappointed |
| A．There are fewer students from higher grades in the school clubs. |
| B．The school clubs in high school only welcome sports fans. |
| C．Summer activities begin before school starts. |
| D．The school office can help new students join school clubs. |
| A．Before the eighth grade year starts. |
| B．Right after the high school year starts. |
| C．At the end of their eighth grade year. |
| D．At the beginning of the new term in the high school. |
| A．To tell the new students how to learn in high school. |
| B．To introduce new schools. |
| C．To give the teachers some advice. |
| D．To give advice to new high school students. |
【推荐3】Ready for final year
Even though they’re anxiously awaiting their gaokao, Senior 3 students feel relieved after having survived their busiest year of high school.
Your milestone year begins in just two months, so how can you make the most of it? Here, three graduates offer some practical advice to help you navigate(航行) your final year in the right way.
Sun Hairuo, High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, Beijing:
Think ahead about your major. Even though some universities allow students to switch to a new major after enrollment, it still involves a lot of effort to do. So while you’re preparing for the gaokao, start to consider what field you want to major in at the same time.
When I was aware of my interest in social science, I began to collect information on the internet about what courses I’d like to take in university and what life would be like on campus if I chose this direction. Don’t judge a major before you know everything about it, since your entire future depends on it.
Qian Wenjing, Hangzhou Foreign Language School, Zhejiang:
Enjoy a hobby alongside your studies. It’s important to get high marks in all subjects, but if you have nothing that can distract you from the piles of homework, you’ll have no motivation.
For example, I run a WeChat public account, which you can find by searching for “大嘴小个儿” on WeChat. On it, I share my reflections on life, recommend good books and introduce learning methods to others. I also make videos on how to write an interesting daily journal for the video platform bilibili.com.
So, keep on top of your schoolwork, but make sure you find time to let your hair down sometimes too.
Wang Zixin, Beijing No 4 High School, Beijing:
Create your own system of knowledge using a notebook. In the review stage, find your weak points on every science subject after each exam. Summarize the knowledge behind the errors in your notebook — this will not only identify the problem, but will also save you time when you don’t have to spend so long figuring out the answer.
As for liberal arts subjects such as Chinese and English, write down any memorable sentences you come across in your notebook.
And keep it in mind that improvements don’t happen right away — it takes time to get better.
Ready for final year
| Three graduates: although they’re anxiously | |
| Sun Hairuo | *Think about your major in advance while making |
| Qian Wenjing | *Have a hobby and you’ll feel *Keep the |
| Wang Zixin | *Create your own system of knowledge. Find your weak points on every science subject and as for liberal arts subjects * |
【推荐1】The fox froze. In a sudden flash of movement, the fox dove nose-first into the water, appearing with a large fish struggling in his mouth.
In March 2016, two researchers in Spain watched as a male red fox followed and caught 10 fish over a couple of hours. The event, described in a study in Ecology, seems to be the first recorded instance of a fox fishing, the researchers say.
“Seeing the fox hunting fish one after another was incredible,” says ecologist Jorge Tobajas of the University of Cordoba. “We have been studying this species for years, but we never expected something like this.”
Tobajas and his colleague came across the fishing fox while surveying a site for a different project. The fox first caught their attention because it didn’t flee when it spotted the researchers. Seizing the opportunity, they decided to hide nearby and see what the fox was up to.
Their curiosity turned into excitement after the fox caught its first fish. “The most surprising thing was to see how the fox hunted many carp without making any mistakes,” To bajas says. “This made us realize that it was surely not the first time he had done it.”
Instead of immediately eating all of the fish, the fox hid the majority of its catch and appeared to share at least one with a female fox, possibly its mate.
Fish remains have been spotted in the waste(粪便) of foxes before. But scientists weren’t sure whether foxes had caught the fish themselves or were simply scavenging dead fish. This research confirms that some foxes fish for their food.
For Tobajas, the fishing fox is an example of how much scientists still don’t know about the natural world, even for species that live fairly close with humans. “The red fox is a very common species and is in many cases a bit hated,” he says. Foxes sometimes attack pets or livestock and are considered a pest in many places. But “observations like this show us that it a very intelligent animal.”
1. What is the function of paragraph 1?| A．To bring in the topic. | B．To prove the fox’s skill. |
| C．To attract people’s attention. | D．To introduce a kind of fox. |
| A．Curious. | B．Confused. | C．Excited. | D．Shocked. |
| A．The size of the fox. | B．The clean water. |
| C．The fox’s calmness. | D．The researchers’ tools. |
| A．Eating. | B．Visiting. | C．Cleaning. | D．Delivering. |
【推荐2】Dog eyesight declines with age. Injuries and ailments can cloud their vision. Zero was a highly trained, driven alert dog. So, at competitions, when he started running into obstacles and falling off the ends of teeter-totters(跷跷板), his owner, San Francisco-area dog trainer Dianne Morey, was concerned.
As time passed, she noticed a pattern. The problems only occurred at competitions held in horse arenas, where yellow obstacles blended into the color of the sand covering the floor. Concerned about his eyesight, Morey took Zero to a vet, who diagnosed him with a genetic condition. Morey found the diagnosis “heartbreaking”. After one last competition—which he won—Zero retired. In the time since, he’s led a life full of activities like dock diving and hiking, where poor vision is less dangerous. While there’s no cure for his disease, protective eyewear has helped keep him safe while being active.
On average, dogs develop nearsightedness or farsightedness less often than humans, says Alexandra vander Woerdt at Animal Medical Center in New York City. However, their eyesight also declines with age. Injuries and some diseases such as glaucoma(青光眼) can cloud their vision. Thinking back, Morey realizes some behaviors—for instance, the way Zero poked his nose before entering a gate—were signs his vision was impaired.
Identifying vision issues in dogs isn’t as easy as with humans. Dogs don’t bark wrong letters on the eye chart, and they’re very good at adapting. Treatments for eye problems may include eyedrops, medications or surgery. Eyewear can also play a role in treating or preventing many issues. Many dogs don’t like eyewear at first. Zero was an exception, thanks to his training in agility and tricks, Morey says.
1. What made Dianne Morey concerned？| A．Her trained dog Zero fell off in competitions. |
| B．She was badly hurt by a dog in a competition. |
| C．She found her eyesight was declining with age. |
| D．Her trained dog Zero wasn’t as clever as before. |
| A．Zero is retiring soon. |
| B．Zero’s disease can’t be cured. |
| C．Zero got the disease from his birth. |
| D．Zero has recovered from his poor eyesight. |
| A．added. |
| B．missed. |
| C．needed. |
| D．mixed. |
| A．They are too fierce to control. |
| B．They don’t like to wear eyewear. |
| C．They adapt to the poor sight easily. |
| D．They bark wrong letters on the eye chart. |
【推荐3】Flooding can happen for different causes. They can be natural, like heavy rain or a tsunami. They can also be man-made, like the opening of a dam. Great damage usually comes with a flood. However, if we take action, damage will be reduced in some way.
Be aware if your area is at risk of a flood. This is the first thing you should do. It is unwise to rely only on history to decide whether your area is at risk of flooding.
Leave your home and move immediately to higher ground. If there is a possibility of a flash flood, do not wait for instructions to move. Flood may cause a shortage of food supply.
Do not drive into flooded areas. If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground, or you and the vehicle can be swept away quickly.
Stay on higher ground even if the floodwaters seem to move away. There is no telling when another flash flood may occur.
| A．Avoid walking through moving water. |
| B．Here are some ways to survive a flood. |
| C．It is easy to feel hungry during a flood. |
| D．In this case, hunger becomes a very real threat. |
| E．You should do some research to prevent a flood. |
| F．A number of factors can affect your area’s risk of flooding. |
| G．If your vehicle is trapped in rapidly moving water, stay in the vehicle. |
