Japanese students work very hard but many are unhappy. They feel heavy pressures from their parents to do well in school. Most students are always being told by their parents to study harder so that they can have a wonderful life. Though this may be good ideas for those very bright students, it can have very bad results for many students who are not quick enough at learning.
Unfortunately, a number of students killed themselves. Others are after comfort in using drugs. Some do bad things with trouble-makers and turn to crime. Many of them have tried very hard at school but have failed in the exams and have disappointed their parents. Such students feel that they are less important and leave school before they have finished their study.
It is surprising that though most Japanese parents are worried about their children, they do not help them in any way. Many parents feel that they are not able to help their children and that it is the teachers’ work to help their children. To make matters worse, a lot of parents send their children to special schools called juku-cram schools. These schools are open during the evening and on weekends, and their only purpose is to prepare students to pass exams; they do not try to educate students in any real sense of the real world. It thus comes as a shock to realize that almost three quarters of the junior or high school population attend these cram school.
Ordinary Japanese schools usually have rules about everything from the students’ hair to their clothes and things in their school bags. Child psychologists now think that such strict rules often lead to a feeling of being unsafe and being unable to fit into society. They regard the rules as being harmful to the development of each student. They believe that no sense of moral values is developed and that students are given neither guidance nor training in becoming good citizens
1. A lot of Japanese students are unhappy at school because_____________| A．they work very hard | B．they find they can’t do well at school |
| C．they feel unimportant | D．they are under too much pressure |
| A．kill themselves | B．seek comfort |
| C．disappoint their parents | D．make trouble |
| A．Students’ Pressure |
| B．Students’ Problems |
| C．The Negative Impact(影响) of Japanese Education |
| D．The Trouble in Japanese schools |
| A．are taken good care of by the teachers | B．feel no pressure |
| C．are trained to pass exams | D．can learn a lot of useful things |
| A．there are strict rules | B．students feel safe |
| C．students can do anything | D．learning is not important |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Short stories for kids can provide them with a lot of fun and entertainment and also teach them the important values of life.
There are some popular short stories around the world, For example, The Ugly Duckling, written by Hans Christian Anderson, which is based on the change of an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan, is one of the most inspiring short stories for children. Then there is The Boy Who Cried Wolf, a classic Aesop’s fable which shows kids the importance of always telling the truth. Little Red Riding Hood, which is written by the Brothers Grimm, tells kids about a strong and brave girl called Little Red Riding Hood and how she fights with an evil wolf to save her grandmother. Here are some examples of different types of short stories.
Ghost stories can be really entertaining and most kids enjoy them. While telling such kinds of stories, you should raise and lower your voice properly and make expressions suitable to what is happening in the story.
Historical stories can help children understand the lives of great leaders and heroes of the past. This will not only help show useful values to children, but also help them perform better in the subject of history.
In stories related to nature, you would be describing famous rivers, mountains and seas. Tell kids what nature has given us and how we should protect it for our own good.
Short stories not only keep kids entertained, but they also help to develop their sense of imagination and creative way of thinking. You can also make up some short stories of your own and spend some quality time with your kids.
1. What can we learn from Para.2?| A．The Ugly Duckling tells us about a strong and brave girl. |
| B．Little Red Riding Hood is the most inspiring short stories. |
| C．The Ugly Duckling is written by the Brothers Grimm. |
| D．The Boy Who Cried Wolf shows the importance of telling the truth. |
| A．Uninterested. | B．Supportive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．parents | B．teachers | C．children | D．students |
| A．The useful values of historical stories. |
| B．Some famous writers of short stories. |
| C．A brief introduction to short stories. |
| D．The protection of famous rivers. |
A“Gap Year”is a period of time when a student takes a break before going to university．It is often spent travelling or working．
Face Challenges and Have Fun．A gap year is not only a time to take a vacation，but also a time to face challenges．Gap year students usually work，volunteer or take service projects．You have to learn how to get along in the real world．This process isn’t always easy，but it is an important part of growing up．
Save Money and Improve Your College Admission Chances．There’s a common thought that gap years are only for rich students，but it isn’t true．
Imagine an admission officer trying to admit only one between two students．Both of them are excellent and have high grades．However，one student has much practical experience or has volunteered in his vacation．
| A．Make full preparations for the gap year． |
| B．Only in this way can you enjoy life and have fun． |
| C．Actually，taking a gap year can save your money． |
| D．Who do you think the admission officer will choose? |
| E．It can give young people useful learning experiences and new skills． |
| F．Challenges always come first before fun． |
| G．Learn about the World and Yourself. |
【推荐3】While video games used to be considered harmful to young people, various studies have also proved the positive effects of computer games, especially action video games.
Angela Pasqualotto from the University of Trento and her team have now tested whether such video games can help primary school children learn to read. They’ve developed such a computer game called Skies of Manawak.
“Reading involves many important skills, including knowing how to move our eyes on the page or how to use our working memory to connect words into a meaningful sentence,” explains Pasqualotto. “It’s known that action video games improve these still, such as vision, general attention, working memory and cognitive (认知的) flexibility.”
For their study, the researchers tested 150 school children between the ages of eight and twelve. Half of them played the game Skies of Manawak two hours a week for six weeks. The other half, the control group, received the educational game Scratch, which is intended to teach children the basics of programming. Both games are basically to train the executive (执行的) functions of the brain.
“We started by examining the children’s ability to read words, non-words and paragraphs and their attention control,” explains Pasqualotto. “After six weeks, these skills were tested again.”
“We found a seven-fold improvement in attention control in the children who played our action video game compared to the control group,” said Pasqualotto. The team also saw significant improvements in reading speed and accuracy among Skies of Manawak players—there were no improvements in the kids who played Scratch. It’s also worth mentioning that the children’s reading skills have improved, although the game itself doesn’t contain any reading exercises.
“For the study, we also carried out three further evaluation tests six, twelve and eighteen months after the training. Each time, the trained children performed better than the control group,” adds Pasqualotto.
Of course, while the study suggests some benefit in action video games, it does not mean that one must do nothing else.
1. What did the 150 school children do in the study?| A．They received training on programming. | B．They finished some reading ability tests. |
| C．They created video games on their own. | D．They played games with reading exercises. |
| A．Its influence on reading skills is not temporary. | B．The study results about it seem to be untrustworthy. |
| C．Reading ability can’t be improved with its assistance. | D．Kids need consistent reading training after playing it. |
| A．They have nothing to do with reading. | B．People shouldn’t get addicted to them. |
| C．School kids are supposed to avoid them. | D．They should be replaced with Scratch. |
| A．Video Games Prove Harmless to Young People at School |
| B．Time for Children to Play Video Games Should Be Limited |
| C．Children Easily Fall in Love With Reading in a Video Game |
| D．Playing Action Video Games Improves Kids’ Reading Skills |
Being able to multitask—doing several things at the same time—is considered a welcome skill by most people. But if we consider the situation of the young people aged from eight to eighteen, we should think again.
What we often see nowadays is that young people juggle an ever larger number of electronic devices(电子产品)as they study. While working, they also surf on the Internet, send out emails, answer the telephone and listen to music on their iPods. In a sense, they are spending a significant amount of time in fruitless efforts as they multitask.
Multitasking is even changing the relationship between family members. As young people around them. They can no longer greet family members when they enter the house, nor can they cat at the family table.
Multitasking also affects young people’s performance at university and in the workplace. When asked about their opinion of the effect of modern gadgets(器具)on their performance of tasks, many young people gave a positive response(反应). However, the response from the worlds of education and business was not quite as positive. Educators feel that multitasking by children has a serious effect on later development of study skills. They believe that many college students now need help to improve their study skills. Similarly, employers feel that young people entering the job market need to be taught all over again, as modern gadgets have made it unnecessary for them to learn special skills to do their work.
1. What does the underlined word “juggle” in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?
| A．Want to buy | B．Take the place of. |
| C．Use at the same time | D．Seek for information from. |
| A．family members do not cat at the family table |
| B．family member do not greet each other |
| C．young people live happily in their families |
| D．young people seldom talk with their family members |
| A．Multitasking is harmful to young people’s development. |
| B．Young people benefit a lot from modern gadgets |
| C．Multitasking is an important skill to young people. |
| D．Young people must learn skills for future jobs. |
| A．providing typical examples | B．following the natural time order |
| C．comparing opinions from different fields | D．presenting a cause and analyzing its effects |
【推荐2】Apart from a simple“hot”, what other ways are there to describe the summer heat? There are many interesting expressions that relate to unbearably hot weather and offer a glimpse into foreign culture.
Dog days of summer
In books and newspaper articles, the period from early July to mid－August is often referred to as the “dog days of summer”. Some think the expression means the weather is so hot that dogs go wild. But in fact, the expression comes from 16th century astrology and refers to the days on which Sirius－the Dog Star, the brightest star in the summer sky and part of the Great Dog constellation－rises at the same time as the sun.
Hotter than a two－dollar pistol
The reason for the expression is that no pistol could cost 2 dollars unless it had been stolen. In English slang, stolen goods are often said to be “hot” and anyone in possession of hot goods is likely to get their fingers burned, in other words, to be arrested.
So hot you can fry an egg on the sidewalk
Thousands of curious tourists feel like testing if the saying is true, with the result that sidewalks in Death Valley, California, the hottest place in the U. S. , are now littered with broken eggshells. As long as you use a frying pan with a lid and the temperature is at least 49℃ , it is actually possible to fry an egg on the sidewalk.
Hinges of Hades
For those who believe it exists, hell is undoubtedly the hottest place on earth, so unsurprisingly there are several expressions that refer to hell or Hades, or even the devil himself. “Hotter than the hinges or gates of Hades” is the oldest version , but more amusing variations have become popular, such as “hotter than the devil's underwear”.
1. Which expression relates to the study of stars?| A．Dog days of summer. | B．Hotter than a two－dollar pistol. |
| C．So hot you can fry an egg on the sidewalk. | D．Hinges of Hades. |
| A．Popular. | B．Difficult. | C．Illegal. | D．Angry. |
| A．55℃. | B．40℃. | C．39℃. | D．29℃. |
【推荐3】In the struggle to survive the ever hotter deserts of California, there are winners and losers. Among the losers are desert birds, whose populations have fallen among the heat stress of climate change. The winners, it turns out, are small burrowing mammals（穴居哺乳动物）, which take refuge from the sun underground. Researchers noted that the stable mammals populations formed a striking contrast to the extremely bad condition of birds.
But why? Birds had a higher evaporative（蒸发）heat loss. Birds were more exposed to the effects of warming, so they had higher energy costs to maintain their body temperature. However, mammals were able to reduce their body temperature by using burrows during the day.
Temperatures have risen about 4 degrees Fahrenheit on average across the area studied, but the heat affects birds and small mammals differently. As part of the study, scientists modeled each species' body temperature and cooling needs under different desert conditions. To calculate that, they measured the conductivity（传导率）of the animals' fur or feathers, and used information on their heat reducing behaviors.
The models showed that in the fight against climate change, there was not a level playing field for furred and feathered desert animals. Cooling costs—or the resources needed to maintain stable body temperature—were about 3. 3 times higher for birds than they were for small mammals, the study reported.
Small mammals have shown this remarkable stability. It's really quite interesting that, in the same region, with the same level of climate change, these two species have responded very differently to the changes taking place. Insights into the status of different species can help scientists take steps to protect them, such as increasing fire prevention in high desert areas, and enhancing water sources in those areas. The study also demonstrates that climate change is already reshaping the California desert
1. Why can desert burrowing mammals survive better than desert birds?| A．Burrowing mammals prefer to live in deserts. |
| B．Burrowing mammals eat less during the day. |
| C．Burrowing mammals' caves are natural shelters. |
| D．Burrowing mammals live in the same community. |
| A．Birds and small mammals respond differently to climate changes. |
| B．Birds in the desert were defeated by climate changes. |
| C．Animals living underground have higher cooling costs. |
| D．Temperature rise affects the burrowing mammals little. |
| A．Burrowing mammals may help birds during the day. |
| B．Governments will improve water quality. |
| C．Man will reshape the deserts to save themselves. |
| D．Scientists can save species with scientific means. |
| A．It's time to change the deserts into green fields. |
| B．Desert birds are more likely to survive in deserts. |
| C．Burrowing mammals' habitat needs improving greatly. |
| D．Burrowing mammals survive climate change underground. |
【推荐1】Apples are packed with amazing health benefits: weight loss, heart protection, lowering your risk for diabetes, and many more. Not only are they good for you, but they taste yummy too! The only problem is that the slices we pack for lunch are always an unappetizing brown by the time we dig them out of the fridge. Apple slices turn brown because the enzymes(酶) called polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in the fruit’s flesh react with oxygen in the air. The reaction makes the fruit go from a soft yellow to a rotten-looking brown.
Fortunately, there is an apple you can pick up at the grocery store that won’t turn brown for a while — the Opal apple. Opal apples are naturally low in PPO, which means they’ll stay fresh and white long after you cut them. Serious Eats even tested the claim, and after sitting out unwrapped for more than six hours, the apple had barely any browning. And here’s why apples have those little spots on their skin, too.
You may ask if genetic modification plays a role in keeping the fruit’s browning flesh at bay. In fact, you may even ask if Opal apples are safe to eat because they can do something most apples can’t. But, according to the Opal website, they’re the first apple to be verified by the Non-GMO Project, the gold standard for certification. “We understand that some consumers are concerned about genetically modified organism (GMO) products and felt it was important to clarify the natural non-browning characteristic is just that — natrual,” said Keith Mathews, CEO of FirstFruits Marketing, in a press release.
The Opal apple is actually a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Topaz apple, and it’s crisp with a sweet, floral flavor. Plus, it still has all the health benefits that every other apple has. Although FirstFruits Marketing does not publish nutrition facts for the Opal apples, the yellow apple’s nutrition value should be similar, if not the same, to every other apple at the supermarket.
Even though there’s no published data on Opal apples and their antioxidant(抗氧剂) content, it’s safe to assume that, much like their apple cousins, their white flesh is still a good source of antioxidant that’s found in greater concentrations inside the fruit instead of on the peel. And Opal apples may even preserve the antioxidants better than other apples simply because they don’t brown as quickly. The oxidation process actually steals some of the apple’s antioxidant content. If you’re now considering trying the Opal apple, it will never let you down.
1. What will happen to the ordinary apple slices put in the air?| A．They will turn brown. |
| B．They will lose all nutrients. |
| C．They will produce toxic substances |
| D．They will make people more appetizing. |
| A．It is rich in nutrition. |
| B．It contains less PPO. |
| C．It is genetically modified |
| D．It has no spots on its skin. |
| A．Opal apples are unsafe to eat because of its unique. |
| B．Keith Mathews doubts if the Opal apple is natural. |
| C．Some people are concerned the safety of the Opal apple. |
| D．The Opal apple is the only one certified by the Non-GMO Project. |
| A．Negative. | B．Objective. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Positive. |
【推荐2】Dou Kou, a Chinese boy, is called “the youngest writer in the world”. He has written three books till now. Dou Kou was born in Jiangsu in 1994. When he was 7 months old, his parents started working in over 30 different cities, such as Xi’an and Shenzhen. This kind of life gave him things to think and write about. When he was 9 months old, he could speak and at the age of one, he could say five to six hundred words. At three, he could look up words in the dictionary. At four, his father taught him how to learn by himself. His parents like reading very much. So does he. At the age of 5, he began writing fairy tales. At the age of 6, he wrote a novel about his life in different cities with his parents. His fairy tales are all from his life. One day, he found many mice in the house. They not only ate their food but also hurt his mother’s hand. So he thought, “If we give mice the stomachs of cows, they will eat grass and they will be helpful to people.” This was his first fairy tale Change Stomachs for Mice. Now he studies well in a middle school. He has written his third book, the novel called Eyes of Children. He says,“I am not different from other children, I just wrote several books.”
1. How many books has Dou Kou written?| A．Three. | B．Four. |
| C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．Mother | B．father |
| C．school life | D．life in different cities |
| A．When he wrote fairy tales. |
| B．Before his father taught him how to learn by himself. |
| C．After he went to school. |
| D．After his mother taught him how to learn by himself. |
| A．Dou Kou is different from other children. | B．Dou Kou doesn’t tell the truth. |
| C．Dou Kou is the same as other children. | D．Dou Kou likes his books. |
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We are an educational company looking for either young men or ladies who have backgrounds with sales and education. We are planning to expand our company by hiring one full-time sales person at the end of a one-month probationary period（试用期）. First，we will give five qualified candidates one month to compete for the full-time post. The one person able to make the most sales after one month will be offered a contract. All candidates will of course be paid on the sales they make during the probationary period. Interviews to be held in Shanghai from May 10 - 12. Email CV to aurus. pons@hotmail. com Expire on Mon. 2018 – 06 - 18 01:02（6 weeks 2 days） |
The National Day is coming. The government has new policy. Maybe some people know of that. Our company’s change from tourist visas（签证）to business visas is available at low prices now. But the quantity is limited. If you hold a tourist visa, please do not hesitate to contact me at 13810078050 or send emails to easybizgroup@hotmail. com. Expire on Mon. 2018 – 06 - 18 11:33 （6 weeks 2 days） |
1. Which of the following is NOT included in the rented room in the first ad?
| A．The water machine. | B．The television. |
| C．The computer. | D．The washing machine. |
| A．is a foreigner from England |
| B．has rich experience in management |
| C．is looking for a job in England |
| D．can be connected by phone |
| A．The candidates have a probationary period. |
| B．The ad lasts to July 18th, 2018. |
| C．It is the only ad that makes people contact the company through emails. |
| D．The candidates need to show their past experiences. |
| A．It informs the tourists of their visas. |
| B．It calls on those who have tourist visas to change the visas into business visas. |
| C．It wants to call the tourist visas back. |
| D．It means to show a new kind of tourist visa. |
【推荐1】Some people learn a second language easily. Other people have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language, such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting.
The first step is to feel confident about learning English. If you believe that you can learn, you will learn. Be patient. You do not have to understand everything all at once. It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our mistakes.
The second step is to practice your English. For example, write a journal every day. You will get used to writing in English, and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English. After several weeks, you will see that your writing is improving. Besides, you must speak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class. You will all make mistakes, but gradually you will become comfortable communicating in English.
The third step is to keep a record of your language learning. You can write this in your journal. After each class, think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult, but you tried to understand it. Write these achievements in your journal.
You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it. It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English, and you will have more confidence in yourself.
1. What is important to learn English?| A．To read English every day. |
| B．To make a record of your mistakes. |
| C．To buy a dictionary. |
| D．To practice English every day and make a record of your achievements. |
| A．be patient |
| B．make mistakes |
| C．express your ideas in English |
| D．understand everything all at once |
| A．To communicate in English. |
| B．To worry about making mistakes. |
| C．To think about what has been done after classes. |
| D．To make a record of your achievements. |
| A．It is very important to learn a second language. |
| B．Some people learn a second language easily while other people do not. |
| C．There are ways to help you learn a second language more easily. |
| D．Don't worry about making mistakes when learning a second language. |
【推荐2】A young American doctor was sleeping when suddenly his doorbell began to ring. It was already midnight, but what could the doctor do? He had to get up, put on his coat and go downstairs.
When he opened the door, he saw a man standing with a hat in his hand. “How do you do?” said the man, “Can you come at once to a place out of town? It’s quite far but you have a car and I can show you the way.”
“Certainly,” said the doctor, “I’m quite ready, I can come at once.” After a few minutes the car was standing at the front door, the man got into the doctor’s car, and they drove off.
They drove on for a long time. Then the man said, “Here you are. This is my home. Now I can pay you and you can go back to town.”
“I must see the patient (病人), ” the doctor said, “How can I go back without seeing the patient?”
“There is no patient,” explained the man. “Nobody is ill. I live here, you see, and one must get home from a town, mustn’t he? There are no taxis this time of the night, but a doctor often makes night calls, so excuse me. Here is your money. Thank you, doctor. Good night.”
1. The doctor __________ when the doorbell started to ring.| A．was sleeping upstairs | B．was sleeping downstairs |
| C．was working upstairs | D．was working downstairs |
| A．to go out for a walk with him | B．to go to a place out of town |
| C．to go to his house | D．to go to hospital |
| A．to fool the doctor | B．to give the doctor money |
| C．to get home in the doctor’s car | D．to get some medicine |
【推荐3】“Homestay is a form of study abroad program. It allows the visitor to rent a room from a local(当地的) family to better understand the local lifestyle. It also helps to improve the visitor’s language ability,” said a teacher during a school meeting last term. “Students who wish to learn more about foreign cultures or to get foreign experience should join this kind of holiday. I am sure you won’t be disappointed.”
After this special meeting, I always thought about this kind of holiday. Last month, I had a chance at last to go on such a holiday with some of my schoolmates and we went to London, a place where I had wanted to go since years ago.
As we were still young, we had a group leader who planned things for us and looked after us. After we got to London, we went to stay with different families. I was lucky that my host family(寄宿家庭) was a white couple who had a daughter about my age. They treated me as a daughter of their family during my stay there. They were interested in me and I learnt a lot of things from them, too.
The holiday was filled with activities every day. After breakfast, a local teacher would come to take us in his car. Then we would have classes or go on a sight-seeing trip to different places of interest like the Big Ben, the London Bridge, and the Buckingham Palace. We would go back to our own homes after the activities.
The holiday was a valuable experience for me. I enjoyed every minute of it. Yet, time really flew fast. Three weeks later, we had to leave “home” for Hong Kong.
1. In the “homestay” program, a visitor can _____.| A．learn more about holidays | B．understand his culture better |
| C．improve the language ability | D．take part in foreign meetings |
| A．last month | B．a long time ago | C．the special meeting | D．her stay abroad |
| A．was very kind to her | B．went sight-seeing with her |
| C．had two white daughters | D．was interested in her activities |
| A．wished to stay a little longer | B．had a wonderful time |
| C．had classes in many interesting places | D．helped the teacher take the students in a car |
