Born in 1901 in New Orleans, he grew up poor, but lived among great musicians. Jazz was invented in the city a few years before his birth. Armstrong often said, “Jazz and I grew up together.”
Armstrong showed a great talent for music when he was taught to play the cornet (短号) at a boy’s home. In his late teens, Armstrong began to live the life of a musician. He played in parades, clubs, and on the steamboats that traveled on the Mississippi River. At that time, New Orleans was famous for the new music of jazz and was home to many great musicians. Armstrong learned from the older musicians and soon became respected as their equal. In 1922 he went to Chicago. There, the tale of Louis Armstrong begins. From then until the end of his life, Armstrong was celebrated and loved wherever he went. Armstrong had no equal when it came to playing the American popular song.
His cornet playing had a deep humanity (仁爱) and warmth that caused many listeners to say, “Listening to Pops just makes you feel good all over.” He was the father of the jazz style and also one of the best-known and most admired people in the world. His death, on July 6, 1971, was headline news around the world.
1. Armstrong was called Pops because he .
| A．looked like a musician |
| B．was a musician of much influence |
| C．showed an interest in music |
| D．traveled to play modern music |
| A．by space | B．by examples |
| C．by time | D．by comparison |
| A．His tale begins in New Orleans. |
| B．He was born before jazz was invented. |
| C．His music was popular with his listeners. |
| D．He learned popular music at a boy’s home. |
| A．The Invention of the Jazz Music |
| B．The Father of the Jazz Style |
| C．The Making of a Musician |
| D．The Spread of Popular Music |
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【推荐1】Lindsay Binegar of Greenfield, Ohio,made her first $100 at the age of four, when she won a prize for showing a pig from her family’s farm to the local 4-H Club. Most kids would be thrilled to spend that money on toys,but not Lindsay."I didn’t get the money; it went to the bank," she told The Columbus Dispatch.
Over the years, Lindsay kept on raising and showing pigs, and kept on winning prizes. Some were $ 100 for small wins, but she won thousands of dollars for championship prizes at county fairs. Before long, she earned an impressive amount of cash — but, aside from a purse when she was 14, Lindsay had never spent a dollar of her savings. By the time she was 18, she had got more than $ 40,000, which she planned to put towards her college education at nearby Ohio University.
But her parents said that if she continued living at home while attending school, they wouldn’t have to pay for her dorm housing, and would be willing to cover the entire cost of her education. It sounded like a good deal to Lindsay. But what should she do with her savings?
Her father had an idea:buy a house, just as he’d done when he was young. He used the house’s sale to help him buy the family farm where Lindsay had grown up and raised all those lucrative(赚大钱的)pigs. Lindsay was able to buy a house in Greenfield, paying for the entire purchase in cash. She did a bit of painting and then rented it out for $ 450 a month.
After finishing college,Lindsay plans to marry Heath McNeal, and use the income from her house to buy a block of land and build a new house. But she’ll never move too far from home. "I would like to stay in Greenfield,"she said. "I just love everybody here."
At her current rate, she’ll probably be the town’s biggest real estate tycoon(房地产大亨)by the age of 25.
1. Lindsay earned her $40,000 by _____ .| A．selling pigs | B．running a farm |
| C．buying and selling | D．Taking pigs to enter competitions |
| A．To buy more pigs. | B．To buy a large house. |
| C．To pay the cost of her education. | D．To hold a special wedding ceremony. |
| A．They lived a poor life. |
| B．They helped Lindsay manage her money. |
| C．They didn’t have a house of their own. |
| D．They wanted their daughter to move out. |
| A．Lindsay will become a real estate agent |
| B．Lindsay will buy a new house in another city. |
| C．Lindsay is good at investing her money. |
| D．Lindsay graduated from Ohio University with high marks. |
【推荐2】I live in a second-floor flat with an ancient tree right on the corner of the house. House and tree have been here, side by side, for well over a century. No one really knows how old the tree is, but it was already there when builders started on the house at the beginning of the 1900s.
It was still rather young and flexible back then, so it easily welcomed the new structure into its path. It bent and adjusted itself to make room, and to find the space to grow big and strong and wise, which means that some hundred years later, the solid, strong branches of the tree reach around two full sides of my home. It’s covered in moss（苔藓）, which is, in turn, crawling with all sorts of insects. I have never seen the insects, by the way, I just know that they’re there because of all the birds trying to pick them out. They are always hopping around, looking for this and that and singing songs.
I feel like I have become part of the ecosystem. When I’m eating breakfast or making dinner in the kitchen, I can look out and see a bird hopping around skillfully, gathering its own meal while I tend to mine. When I’m sitting in the living room, reading or drinking tea, I can suddenly find myself face to face with another bird. We’ll be staring at each other and, after some time, decide we can both carry on with our business, living side by side. Even as I write this—the large windows open to a lovely, soft evening—a white feather comes floating down by my side, probably from one of the resident pigeons.
As I don’t have the luxury of a garden, this tree makes me feel connected to the outdoors. Such is an ancient tree, a tree that is itself home to many other creatures—that feels different. It is as if it has adopted me and made me a part of its world, without ever asking for something in return. But if needs be, I know that it can count on me and I will protect it with all my strength.
1. The flat that author lives in is _________.| A．built in an ancient tree | B．hugged by a giant tree |
| C．decorated with branches | D．surrounded by a garden |
| A．birds keep her warm company | B．she has adopted the residents. |
| C．moss makes her flat nice and cool | D．she has been bothered by the insects |
| A．A close-to-nature life. | B．A luxurious garden. |
| C．A spacious house. | D．A sociable neighbor. |
| A．Jealous. | B．Inferior. |
| C．Content. | D．Passionate. |
【推荐3】John is thirteen now. He began to study in a middle school two years ago. His home is in a small village and it’s nearly five kilometers from the school. He has to get up early in the morning. After a quick breakfast he has to run to school and get there on time. His father hopes to borrow some money to buy a bike for him, but he knows his mother is always ill and his father spends much money on medicine. He doesn’t agree with his father and keeps running there every day. Now he’s very strong. He is never late for class and his teachers often praise him.
Last week there was a sports meeting in his school. John ran faster than any other boy and won the boy’s 800 meters, 1, 500 meters and 3, 000 meters. The whole school knew him. He was very happy. He told his grandma about the good news as soon as he got home. “I broke two school records today, Granny,” called out the boy.
To his surprise, the old woman wasn’t happy. She thought for a while and said, “I’m sorry to hear that. We have no money to pay for them, you know!”
1. John began to study in a middle school at the age of_________.| A．nine | B．eleven | C．thirteen | D．fifteen |
| A．keep healthy | B．win the boy’s race |
| C．make his teachers happy | D．get to school on time |
| A．he doesn’t like riding a bike |
| B．he doesn’t like his father |
| C．his home is near the school |
| D．he knows his father doesn’t have enough money |
| A．she thought John had broken some things in the school and they had to pay for them |
| B．she thought John hadn’t done well in the school sports meeting |
| C．John’s father couldn’t afford a bike |
| D．John’s mother was ill and they spent much money on medicine |
【推荐1】Imagine this: your child has just been involved in an emergency. You call 911. The medical workers rush in and begin asking you questions as they work to rescue your child. But they also ask questions about your child’s medical history. It’s hard to think clearly. You begin to answer and then end up saying, “I don’t remember. I don’t know.” So many doctors suggest that parents keep handy a record of their children’s important healthy facts. This can often help the medical team make a better and more rapid diagnosis of a problem at a time when time really counts.
The most important information to know is the child’s allergies (过敏). It is especially crucial if the child is allergic to any medicine — penicillin, for example. Food allergies can come into play, so make a note of those as well. Children who have been hospitalized in the past may have developed latex (胶乳) allergies. Often this information can help emergency workers find a cause for problems like breathing difficulties.
Keep a list of any medicine, including what your child is now taking. Some medicines can cause adverse reaction when they are taken together, so the doctors need this information before they give your child anything. You’ll need to know when the child took the medicine last and how much was taken.
It is also important to tell emergency workers about any health problem or illness that your child has had. These pre-existing conditions can have a huge effect on the type of tests and treatment in an emergency. Consider having any child who has a health problem wear a tag around his neck. This kind of rapid notice can help doctors who are providing emergency care, especially if your child suddenly becomes ill at day care, school or a friend’s house.
1. What’s the function of the example in paragraph 1?| A．To tell us what we should do in an emergency. |
| B．To tell us the importance of keeping a record of children’s health facts |
| C．To remind us emergent situation is everywhere. |
| D．To tell us what doctors will ask |
| A．One | B．Two | C．Three | D．Four |
| A．essential | B．professional | C．convincing | D．admirable |
| A．the medicine the child took last and the amount. |
| B．if the child is allergic to any medicine |
| C．if your child suddenly becomes ill at day care, school, or a friend’s house. |
| D．if your child has had any health problem or illness. |
【推荐2】Fun with Shadow Puppets
People around the world have been making shadow puppets (皮影戏) for a very long time. In a shadow puppet show, the puppets cannot be seen. Only their shadows can be seen.
HOW TO PREPARE THE STAGE
●A cardboard puppet stage can be made using a piece of poster board.
●Lay the poster board down flat.
●Fold the edges in 6 inches on each side.
●Cut out a rectangular opening from the center of the poster board.
●Cover the opening with a piece of white cloth. Fasten it with tape (胶带). This cloth will be the stage “curtain.”
The puppets hide behind the curtain. Have a bright light set up behind the puppets. When the light behind the puppets is turned on, black shadows that resemble, or look like, the puppets appear on the white curtain. When the puppets move, the shadows move.
HOW TO MAKE SHADOW PUPPETS
1.Choose a story with two or three talking characters.
2.Draw the shape of each person or animal on a piece of black poster board. It will be easy to follow the lines if you draw them with a white pencil or crayon.
●Make the characters so that they are facing to one side.
●Make each character different. Remember that only the shadow will show. so the outside shape is what is important.
3.Use scissors (剪刀)to cut out the puppets carefully.
4.Attach a drinking straw (吸管) to the back of each puppet with tape. Let the bottom of the straw hang below the body of the puppet. This will be used as a handle. Use it to control the movements of the puppets across the stage.
5.Have a friend read the story while you move the puppets. Then you can take turns.
6.You are now ready.
LET THE SHOW BEGIN!
1. Why does the stage need a light?
| A．The light helps locate the puppets. |
| B．The light gives the stage a fancy look. |
| C．The light signals that the show has started. |
| D．The light helps to make a shadow on the curtain. |
| A．A broom. | B．A ribbon. | C．A pencil. | D．A string. |
| A．a white pencil is a must |
| B．at least two people are needed |
| C．the characters should face the same side |
| D．the color of the characters is very important |
【推荐3】Doing voluntary work is becoming more and more popular nowadays because it benefits the individual volunteer, people in need and our society.
When helping others, we are enriching our lives as well. First, doing voluntary work is our responsibility and duty. Second, we can enlarge our life circles so that we get more chances to learn deeper about the present situation of our society, which is very important to our future development. Last, when doing voluntary work with others, we are improving our ability to cooperate with different people and build up team spirit. As for us students, doing voluntary work is an effective way to participate in social activities. In other words, it gives us the chances to prepare to fit into the society in advance.
Through voluntary work, the living conditions of people in need are improved. For example, lots of children in remote areas don't have access to enough food and clothes, let alone education. Some people donate money and clothes while some volunteers go to these areas to teach these children, bringing them knowledge as well as the latest information of the world. In this way, these children's qualities of life are improved and they'll integrate into the society more easily and get a sense of belonging.
The more voluntary work we do, the more steady and harmonious our society will be. Volunteers spread warmth and care all over the world, strengthening union and trust among citizens. As Ban Ki-moon once said, “Volunteerism is a source of community strength. It can bring positive social change by promoting respect for diversity, equality and the participation of all."
In conclusion, by doing voluntary work, both volunteers and people in need get the precious life experience, and it benefits our society to a large degree. We should keep on doing and appeal to more people to take part in this meaningful activity.
1. What does the passage mainly talk about?| A．Doing voluntary work is becoming popular at present. |
| B．Doing voluntary work takes much energy and money. |
| C．Doing voluntary work can make more people live a happy life. |
| D．Doing voluntary work is beneficial to others, our society and volunteers themselves. |
| A．It can improve their ability to get along with different kinds of people, |
| B．It helps them win recognition and respect from others. |
| C．One can become famous for doing voluntary work. |
| D．One can make more friends while helping others. |
| A．Break into. | B．Look into. |
| C．Adapt to. | D．Contribute to. |
| A．Voluntary work makes our society a big family full of love and care. |
| B．Voluntary work is a bridge connecting all kinds of people together. |
| C．Voluntary work is so necessary that we should stick with it. |
| D．Voluntary work contributes to people's leading a wealthy life. |
【推荐1】I was having breakfast, when "OUCH!" I screamed. “Why do you pinch （捏）me?”
"You're not wearing green/' said my little brother; Tex. “Everyone knows you get pinched if you don’t wear green on Saint Patrick's Day!"
I was mostly mad about getting pinched, but also a tiny bit glad about being reminded that it was Saint Patrick's Day.
I panicked. "What am I going to do? I don't have time to change. I'll get pinched all day long!" "Well,", Tex said, taking the old green baseball hat off his head, "you could borrow my lucky hat.”
"But it's your favorite!" I said.
"I know,” said Tex. "Just promise to give it back after school."
"No problem," I said, glancing in the mirror on my way out the door. "I look like a fool in this thing !"
"A lucky fool.” said Tex.
"Hum." I grabbed my backpack. "Thanks, I think?'
Now, before I go on, you should know that I'm not a superstitious （迷信的）person. I don't believe that thirteen is an unlucky number or that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck.
Anyway, I was racing to catch the school bus, and I saw a dollar on the sidewalk! I looked around to see if anyone was looking for it, but people just kept stepping on the poor thing, so I decided to rescue it. I had found pennies before, but never a dollar!
My luck didn't stop there. Carlos and Jackson were sitting behind me, quizzing each other on spelling words.
I turned around and said, "You guys know that test isn't till tomorrow right?"
"It got switched to this morning," said Jacsksn. "Remember?"
"That's right. I totally forgot!" I said. "I'm so lucky that I sat in front of you. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have found out till it was too late!” I got out my spelling words, studied all the way to school. And ended up getting a good mark in the test!
The minute I got home, I gave Tex a big hug.
“This is the luckiest hat in the world,” I said. "I'm never taking it off!
"But you promised to give it back!" said Tex.
"Please—oh—please let me borrow your lucky hat for one more day!" I begged.
"Tomorrow I'm auditioning （试演）for the school play, and I need every bit of help I can get.” "OK," said Tex. “One more day. But you'd better be really nice to me."
"I will," I agreed. "In fact, here you have my lucky dollar!” Tex cried with joy, then started dancing around and waving his gift in the air.
The next day turned out to be super lucky. My audition couldn't have gone better.
"Wow, Arizona!" said my friend Mareya. "I can't believe how amazingly you just did! You are so getting a major part in this play!"
"Thanks! But honestly. the only reason I did OK is because I had my lucky hat.”
"What lucky hat?” asked Mareya.
“This one,” I said, reaching into my backpack, where I thought I'd put Tex's hat since I couldn't
wear it for the audition. But it wasn't there! " Oh no!" I cried. "It's gone! What am I going to tell Tex?”
Mareya helped me look for it. Luckily, we found Tex's hat in my locker. Also luckily. I discovered that I could be lucky with or without a goofy-looking hat.
"So it wasn't the hat," said Mareya. "This is just a wild guess, but maybe it was all those hours you spent practicing over the past month.”
"Hmm,” I said. “It's possible.”
So, dear friend, I guess you could say that luck is a combination of being prepared, believing in yourself... and maybe just a tiny bit of magic! In other words, luck may come your way, but you have to be ready for it when it does!
1. What can we infer from what the writer said "I look like a fool in this thing"?| A．She thought she became a fool when wearing the hat. |
| B．She didn't like to wear the green baseball hat. |
| C．She didn’t believe the hat would bring her a good luck. |
| D．She thought she was foolish to put on the green hat. |
| A．It was a shameful behavior. | B．It was an individual behavior. |
| C．It was a moral behavior. | D．It was a fortunate behavior. |
| A．On the school bus. | B．A few minutes before the test. |
| C．In the classroom. | D．When the quiz began. |
| A．The writer begged Tex to give the hat to her. |
| B．The writer's audition was quite successful. |
| C．The writer bought a present for her brother. |
| D．The writer got the major part in the play. |
| A．Good-looking. | B．Lucky-looking. |
| C．Foolish-looking. | D．Cool-looking. |
| A．an ounce of luck is better than a pound of wisdom |
| B．bad luck always comes in threes |
| C．behind bad luck comes good luck |
| D．opportunities are only given to those who are well-prepared |
【推荐2】Your colleague’s sharp comment keeps replaying in your mind.Two of your students are trapped in a”he said/she said”battle.When you reflect on your emotional reactions,you sometimes get caught up in cycles of negative feelings,which can make you feel even worse.If so,the answer may lie in a skill called”self-distancing”,the ability to take a step back and view yourself more objectively.According to a research,when people adopt self-distancing while discussing a difficult event,they make better sense of their reactions,experience less emotional suffering,and display fewer signs of stress.
But what might self-distancing look like in action? Consider a typical”he said/she said”student conflict where they are each focusing on their own feelings.One is thinking,‘‘I can't believe he did that to me”And another insists.”She really hurt my feelings”However,if you ask them to take the self-distancing,they might step outside of themselves and ask broader questions:”Why was he so hurt in this situation?”or”How did her anger affect him?”
Although this approach may sound too simple to be effective,studies indicate that a change in point of view can have a powerful effect on the way people think,feel,and behave. Here are several different techniques you can try.
First,consider how a thoughtful friend might respond after quietly observing their situation.Besides,avoid using the pronoun”I”.Focus on using third-person pronouns,he,she,they,and they were able to see the stressful event as challenging rather than threatening.Finally,ask yourself,”How would I feel about this one week from now or ten years from now?”This form of mental time travel may be effective because our attention is directed away from our immediate,concrete circumstances.
1. What is self-distancing?| A．Getting stuck in negative emotions. |
| B．A stressful situation. |
| C．A study on relieving emotional stress. |
| D．Reflecting on yourself objectively. |
| A．I’m angry with him. |
| B．How did these two people get to this point? |
| C．How I wish I could go back to the past! |
| D．He grabbed my notes，and then，and then… |
| A．Why Self-distancing Matters |
| B．The Disadvantages of Self-distancing |
| C．Breaking the Cycle of Negative Reflection |
| D．Ways to Reflect on Emotional Reactions |
Nuclear radiation has a certain mystery about it, partly because it cannot be detected by human senses. It can’t be seen or heard, or touched or tasted, even though it may be all around us. There are other things like that. For example, radio waves are all around us but we can’t detect them or sense them without a radio receiver. Similarly, we can’t sense radioactivity without a radiation detector. But unlike common radio waves, nuclear radiation is not harmless to human beings and other living things.
At very high levels, radiation can kill an animal or human being immediately by killing masses of cells in vital organs. But even the lowest levels can do serious damage. There is no level of radiation that is completely safe. If the radiation does not hit anything important, the damage may not be serious. This is the case when only a few cells are hit, and if they are killed immediately. Your body will replace the dead cells with healthy ones. But if the few cells are only damaged, and if they reproduce themselves, you may be in trouble. They can grow into cancer. Sometimes this does not show up for many years.
This is another reason for some of the mystery about nuclear radiation. Serious damage can be done without the victim being aware at the time that damage has occurred. A person can be irradiated（辐射）and feel fine, then die for cancer five, ten, or twenty years later as a result. Or a child can be born weak as a result of radiation absorbed by its parents.
Radiation can hurt us. We must know the truth.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．How radiation kills a man. |
| B．How to detect nuclear radiation. |
| C．The mystery about nuclear radiation. |
| D．Serious harm caused by nuclear radiation. |
| A．It is just like common radio waves. |
| B．It can be harmless if its level is low. |
| C．It can be detected by human senses. |
| D．It can cause cancer to human beings. |
| A．By damaging its heart. |
| B．By stopping it breathing. |
| C．By killing many cells in key organs. |
| D．By destroying its brain. |
| A．die of cancer after many years | B．die immediately |
| C．have a child who may be born weak | D．all of the above |
【推荐1】Chinese Paper Cutting or Jianzhi is the first type of paper-cutting design, since paper was invented in the Eastern Han Dynasty in China.
It’s a very distinguishing visual art of Chinese handicrafts. The art form later spread to other parts of the world with different areas adopting their own cultural styles. After hundreds of year’s development, now they’ve become a very popular means of decoration among country folk, especially women. The paper-cuts are also used to decorate doors and windows, and therefore they’re sometimes referred to “chuang hua”, meaning Window Flower. Paper-cuts are chiefly used as decorations. However, today, Chinese paper-cuts are also used for religious and ceremonial purpose, and they’re buried with the dead and burned at funerals.
Chinese people believe the red paper-cuts on the door can bring good fortune and happiness to the whole family. The paper-cuts are more often seen during traditional Chinese festivals, particularly in Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival. They’re also given as gifts to friends or other family members.
Paper-cuttings aren’t produced by machine, but by hand. There’re two methods of manufacture: one uses scissors, the other uses knives. Knife cuttings are fashioned by putting several layers of paper or a relatively soft foundation. Following a pattern, the artist cuts the motif into the paper with a sharp knife he usually holds vertically. The advantage of knife-cuttings is that considerably more paper cuttings can be made in one operation than with scissor cuttings.
It’s easy to learn about cutting a piece of paper but difficult to master it with perfection. One must grasp the knife in an upright fashion and press evenly (均匀地) on the paper with some strength. Flexibility is required but any hesitation will damage the whole image.
People find hope and comfort in expressing wishes with paper-cutting. For instance: for a wedding ceremony, red paper-cuttings are a traditional decoration on the tea set, the dressing table glass, and on other furniture. A big red paper character “Xi” (happiness) is a traditional must on the newlywed’s door.
1. It can be learned from the second paragraph that ___________.| A．paper-cuts are mainly used as presents |
| B．females are better at paper-cutting than males |
| C．paper-cutting varies from area to area |
| D．paper-cuts are used in various ceremonies but funerals |
| A．Forms of paper-cutting. |
| B．Means of paper-cutting. |
| C．Advantages of knife cuttings. |
| D．Characteristics of paper-cutting. |
| A．using examples |
| B．making comparisons |
| C．analyzing causes |
| D．describing processes |
【推荐2】California bums every year. But among a record-breaking heatwave, 2020 is the worst burning year yet. As of the September 2020, more than 7,600 fires burned over 2.5m acres of land. The season ran for more than several months.
That fits a long-term trend, for California's wild fires are getting steadily worse. Large fires in the 2010s burned 6.8m acres on average, up from 3.3m acres in the 1990s. The fire season in 2020 lasted nearly three months longer than it did in the 1970s. Over the past decade, the state has spent an average of $3.7bn a year fighting fires. Add the cost of rebuilding, treating victims and restoration, and that is perhaps a tenth of the total cost.
The reason is a double blow of climate change and development. More homes are being built next to forests, in what experts call the "wild-land-urban interface" (WUI). A 2018 study estimated that roughly a third of American homes were in the WUL Pricey housing has pushed people in California onto cheaper land close to the wilderness. At the same time, climate change is lengthening the dry season, which stores up fuel for fires. In California, a “huge drought" -- in which dry years become more common and wet ones scarcer (稀少)-- is making matters even worse.
Since neither trend shows much sign of turning around, people on America's west coast will have to learn to co-exist with more and more frequent fires. It’s not that different to building on an earthquake active region," says Max Moritz, a wildfire expert at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He suggests that houses should be built near water or open agricultural lands, which can offer a useful barrier.
1. How does the second paragraph develop?| A．By giving examples. |
| B．By analyzing causes. |
| C．By providing statistics. |
| D．By following time order. |
| A．People can get closer to nature. |
| B．California advocates forest development. |
| C．Low-income people can't afford urban houses. |
| D．Climate change has made the dry season longer. |
| A．Life is hopeless for people on America's west coast. |
| B．Great potential danger goes with the houses in WUL |
| C．Wildfire experts should study where to build houses. |
| D．People should live away from earthquake active regions. |
| A．To instruct. | B．To warn. | C．To persuade. | D．To inform. |
【推荐3】It is generally acknowledged that young people from poorer social-economic backgrounds tend to do less well in the education system. In an attempt to help the children of poor families, a nationwide program called “Headstart” was started in the US in 1965. A lot of money was poured into it. It took children into pre-school institutions at the age of three and was supposed to help them succeed in school. But the results have been disappointing , because the program began too late. Many children who entered it at three were already behind their peers(同龄人) in language and intelligence and the parents were not involved in the process. At the end of each day, “Headstart” children returned to the same disadvantaged home environment.
To improve the results, another program was started in Missouri that concentrated on parents as the child’s first teachers. This program was based on research showing that working with the family is the most effective way of helping children get the best possible start in life. The four-year study included 380 families who were about to have their first child and represented different social-economic status, age and family structure. The program involved trained educators visiting and working with the parent or parents and the child. The program also gave the parents some guidance, and useful skills on child development.
At three, the children involved in the “Missouri” program were evaluated with the children selected from the same social-economic background and family situations. The results were obvious. The children in the program were more advanced in language development, problem solving and other intellectual(智力的) skills than their peers. They performed equally well regardless of social-economic backgrounds or family structure. The one factor that was found to affect the child’s development was the poor quality of parent-child interaction. That interaction was not necessarily bad in poorer families.
The “Missouri” program compares quite clearly with the “Headstart” program. Without a similar focus on parent education and on the vital importance of the first three years, some evidence indicates that it will not be enough to overcome educational unfairness.
1. What caused the failure of the “Headstart” program ?| A．The large number of poor families. |
| B．The late start of the program. |
| C．The disapproval from children. |
| D．The long period of time. |
| A．The number of family members. | B．The intelligence of their parents. |
| C．The parent-child communication. | D．The teacher-student relationship. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By listing figures. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By drawing conclusions. |
