【推荐1】It’s great fun to explore (探索) new places—it feels like an adventure, even when you know you’re not the first to have been there. But make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles.

●Do the map reading if you’re being driven somewhere. It’ll be easier if you keep turning the map so it follows the direction you’re traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn, or you’ll have to move to the back seat.

●Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You’ll need a good map, a compass (指南针), a raincoat, a cell phone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies (应急现金). Tell someone where you’re going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The test is in not getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up.

●See if your school or a club organizes orienteering activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc. ) in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. Either way, it’s not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit.

1. Sitting beside the driver, you should______.

A．direct the driver when necessary

B．look ahead to see where there’s a turn

C．move to the back seat if feeling uncomfortable

D．keep looking at the map to find a place to go to

2. Why do you need to tell someone your exploration plan before setting out?

A．To get information when in danger.

B．To be saved in case of an accident.

C．To share the fun with him/her in exploration.

D．To tell him/her what’s going on with the group members.

3. Orienteering activities can______.

A．make people work fast

B．help people stay healthy

C．help people organize other activities

D．make people get prepared for sports

4. The text mainly talks about______.

A．the fun of exploration

B．what to bring for exploration

C．the way to use a map in exploration

D．how to prevent getting lost in exploration

【推荐3】A summary is a piece of writing that tells the main ideas of something. It is basically a shortened version of a larger text that describes its main points.    1     Follow these steps when writing a summary.

Carefully review the work you’re summarizing. If you are writing a summary of a written text, make sure to read it carefully. Thus, you can take note of what the author is saying and why he is saying it.    2     Therefore, make sure to take detailed notes.

    3    Another way to ensure you are remembering important information is to underline words as you go. If you are watching something, write down time stamps of when important things happen. This makes it easier for you to look back on them when you are writing your summary.

Write down the main points. It is time to organize your summary into sentences that make up paragraphs. It’s suggested to start by writing down the main points in your own words. Make sure to write down these main points as they were presented by the author of the text.    4    

Add in supporting points. Add in some major supporting points for your main idea. While these are more detailed sentence, make sure they connect to the rest of the text. There is no need to add in minor details if they do not add any value to your summary.    5     Maybe it was not a major plot point in the text. You only want to add general information that will give the reader a high-level understanding of the text.

A．Underline important information.

B．Try to remember important information.

C．But how can you write an effective summary?

D．It means that these main points should be written down in order.

E．For instance, there is no need to include the character’s eye color.

F．Sometimes a minor detail can make a difference in your summary.

G．Similarly, it is advisable to write a summary about what you are hearing.

【推荐1】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 place.

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. 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.

1. According to the text, most students feel          when entering the high school.

A．unhappy

B．worried

C．lonely

D．disappointed

2. Which of the following is TRUE about the school clubs?

A．There are fewer students from higher grades in the school clubs.

B．The school clubs in high school mainly welcome sports fans.

C．The school office can help new students join school clubs.

D．Summer activities begin before school starts.

3. What is the purpose of this text?

A．To describe high school life.	B．To give advice to new high school students.
C．To teach useful experience.	D．To introduce new schools.

4. When do many schools take students to visit their new high school?

A．Before the eighth grade year starts.

B．At the end of their eighth grade year.

C．Right after the high school year starts.

D．At the beginning of the new term in the high school.

【推荐2】On the first day of my new high school, I almost had a nervous breakdown. Everything about the school seemed so difficult. When I got home, my parents said, “You're nervous and that's okay. Everyone is afraid of high school.” I denied it. I wanted to be strong, so I refused to let anyone know about my fear, even my closest friends.

On the first day I was late for every class and was constantly lost. The school seemed like a puzzle that I couldn't figure out. Was this how the whole year was going to be? I didn't think I could rise to this challenge, especially carrying a huge backpack that I could hardly lift. It was so big that I could knock someone out with it! The schoolmates seemed to regard me as a fool, and they were probably right.

Despite my fears, after the first week I finally had my schedule figured out. With the exception of falling up and down the stairs a couple of times and getting laughed at, high school was turning out to be not so bad. It was actually much better than middle school and much more challenging.

Since then, I've been elected vice monitor of my class, which wasn't much of a victory since only three people ran for the four positions.

It is normal to be scared about a new school. Take a deep breath and relax. High school is something that any student can overcome. Make sure you participate in some out-of-class activities because you'll find it easier to make friends. Try to do your best, even if it isn't straight A's.

Most important of all, be who you are, whether you're a “fool”， an athlete, or a lower grader. Don't try to pretend to be someone you're not. Now you know the true secrets of high school.

1. The main reason for the author's fear on his first day is that ________.

A．he was unable to work out the puzzle

B．his schoolmates were unfriendly to him

C．he was not familiar with the new surroundings

D．his schoolbag was too heavy for him to carry

2. From the author's first day experience we can infer that ________.

A．his home was far from the school

B．he got to school before classes began

C．he was fond of the school immediately.

D．he didn't know the right way to class

3. After his first week at school, the author ________.

A．was still not accustomed to the schedule

B．gradually adjusted himself to the new school

C．found high school not so challenging as he had imagined

D．ran for monitor of his class against three other students

4. According to the passage, the secret of the author's success lies mainly in ________.

A．making more friends

B．getting more A's at school

C．being who he really is

D．joining in out-of-class activities

【推荐3】Sharon, Aged 22

The most important thing to keep in mind when going into high school is to be yourself. Besides, I don’t know what your middle school was like, but high school teachers will not care about things such as how much homework you already have in one night. It’s best to just learn to deal with things and manage your time wisely so you can achieve everything you need.

Frank, Aged 21

I think almost every kid feels both nervous and excited before their first day. You will probably love it. I know I did. You should join in some sports or activities that will make your high school experience more enjoyable. Good luck！

Eddie, Aged 20

When I started high school I was really nervous too, especially since I had been home-schooled all through middle school and didn’t really know anyone, I suppose the best advice would be to just relax. The first couple of days can be a little bit hard, but things will become easier after you know it.

David, Aged 19

I’m not going to lie. The first day is kind of frightening. But you’ll get used to it. Don’t be afraid of anyone; upperclassmen will pick on you more if you let them know you’re afraid. Just take it easy. Making some friends and staying with them will greatly help you get used to high school quickly. After the first week it’s really not bad at all. Don’t worry.

1. What can we infer from Sharon about high school?

A．Teachers are quite strict.

B．Students often stay up at night.

C．Teachers provide little care for students.

D．Students should make good use of their time.

2. How did Eddie feel on his first day of high school?

A．Excited

B．Bored.

C．Worried.

D．Relaxed.

3. Who mentions the importance of friends?

A．Frank.

B．David.

C．Sharon.

D．Eddie.