Are you shy? If you are, you are not alone. In fact, close to 50 percent of people are shy. Almost 80 percent of people feel shy at some point in their lives. These days, shyness is becoming more and more common. Now, scientists are trying to understand shyness. They have some interesting ideas about why people are shy.
Is it possible to be born shy? Many scientists say yes. They say 15 to 20 percent of babies behave shyly. These babies are a little quieter and more watchful than other babies. Interestingly, these shy babies usually have shy parents. As a result, scientists think that some shyness is genetic.
Family size might cause people to be shy as well. Scientists at Harvard University studied shy children. They found that 66 percent of them had older brothers and sisters. The scientists said that these children were often bullied(欺负)by their older brothers and sisters. As a result, they became shy. At the same time, children with no brothers and sisters may be shy as well. Growing up alone, they often play by themselves. They are not able to learn the same social skills as children from big families.
You may also be shy because of where you were born. When scientists studied shyness in different countries, they found surprising differences. In Japan, most people said they were shy. But in Israel, only one of three people said so. What explains the difference? One scientist says the Japanese and Israelis have different opinions of failure. In Japan, when people do not succeed, they feel bad about themselves. They blame(责备)themselves for their failure. In Israel, the opposite is true. Israelis often blame failure on outside reasons, such as family, teachers, friends, or bad luck. In Israel, freedom of opinion and risk taking are strongly supported. This may be why Israelis worry less about failure and less shy.
For shy people, it can be difficult to make friends, speak in class, and even get a good job. But scientists say you can get over your shyness. They suggest trying new things and practicing conversation, And don’t forget —if you are shy, you are not the only one.
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．Happiness. | B．Shyness | C．Kindness | D．Loneliness |
| A．Passed down from parents. | B．Learned from friends |
| C．Taught by teachers. | D．Made up by brothers |
| A．Most little babies are born shy and quiet. |
| B．If you are shy now, you will be shy forever. |
| C．Many shy children have older brothers and sisters. |
| D．Many shy children can be easy to make friends. |
| A．blaming their failure on outside reasons |
| B．trying new things and practicing conversation |
| C．getting themselves away from their shy parents |
| D．trying to understand reasons for their shyness |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】For many tests and exams, you are tested on your abilities to communicate successfully. To speak English fluently (流利的), you need to think in English. If you don’t, your speech will be slow and it won’t sound natural. Here are some things you can do to practice thinking in English.
Look at objects around your home and school, and think of what they are called in English. Try to make a direct connection between the object and the English word.
When you are out in a public place, practice describing the things and people you see in your mind. For example, when you see somebody, you may think, “There is a man walking down the street. He’s wearing a suit. I think he is going to work.” Try to think in English first, not in your first language.
When you have to say something in English, think first and ask yourself, “What words and phrases do I know in English that I can use in this situation?” Try not to think in your first language and translate your ideas into English.
Try these tips and you’ll soon find that you are thinking in English.
1. The passage is most probably written to ________.| A．reporters | B．teachers | C．students | D．parents |
| A．greet people in English | B．practice thinking in English |
| C．write an article in English | D．improve English listening skills |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．Try to think in your first language and translate your ideas into English. |
| B．Use what you know about something in English to say it in another situation. |
| C．Practice describing the things and people you see in English in your mind. |
| D．You look at objects around you and think of what they are called in English. |
| A．News Corner | B．Story Garden | C．Technology Square | D．Language World |
Hello! My name is Li Xiang and I’m eight years old. I am from Beijing. Here are four photos. Their name is “A Pencil”. The boys and girls in the photos are from poor areas. They are very poor and they don’t have many(许多) school things.
I have five friends and they see the photos too. We want(想要) to help them. These things are for them-six pencil boxes, six pencils, six rulers, six erasers, eight schoolbags and nine picture books.
Some of our teachers help them. too. They give(给) them two computers. Five dictionaries and nine maps.
Do you want to help the boys and girls? Call me at 468-3399. Thanks!
1. Who is Li Xiang?| A．A girl from Beijing. | B．A girl from the poor area. |
| C．A teacher from Beijing. | D．A teacher from the poor area. |
| A．文明城市 | B．沿海城市 | C．贫困地区 | D．北方地区 |
| A．Five. | B．Six. | C．Seven. | D．Eight. |
| A．Picture books. | B．Schoolbags | C．Computer games. | D．Dictionaries. |
【推荐3】Transplant is easy and often costs less. If you are new to this kind of gardening, don’t worry. A garden expert, Lee Reich, can give you his advice.
Reich suggests starting with flowers or vegetables that are easy to grow from seeds（种子）. However, Reich warns that some vegetables should not be grown as transplants. Root vegetables（根类蔬菜）like carrots, can’t be transplanted easily. It can hurt the roots.
To get started with transplants, you will need a container and soil. The container should have one or more holes in the bottom. In this way, some water can run out. Garden soil, even good garden soil, says Reich, will not work because water can’t run out quickly. Our expert suggests using a special mix called potting soil.
Then plant three or four seeds in each container. Cover the seeds with the soil. The most important thing for seeds’ growth is a proper temperature. How much warmth needed is different from plant to plant. A good average temperature for just about all seeds is about 24℃. Most seeds do not need light to grow. Cover the seeds with clear plastic to prevent them from drying up.
Now for the exciting part—waiting to see little, green sprouts（新芽）! Clean up all but the strongest sprout from each container. Just be careful not to hurt the roots of the sprout that remains.
Your goal now is to grow sprouts strong enough to survive after they are moved to the outside garden. In a month, they will be ready to go into the garden!
1. Which may be suggested for transplant beginners according to Reich?| A．Root vegetables. | B．Fruits that cost less. |
| C．Flowers that don’t need much water. | D．Plants that are easy to grow from seeds. |
| A．Because it is cheap. | B．Because it is richer. |
| C．Because water runs out quickly in it. | D．Because it is easy to be found. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．Dry air. | B．Clean soil. | C．Enough light. | D．A proper temperature. |
| A．How to transplant your garden | B．How to make your garden prettier |
| C．The best choice for gardening | D．Advice for perfect growing conditions |
 How to learn English well. | |
 | Well, I don’t know how you all feel, but I find English really difficult. There are just so many new words to remember. My problem is that I can’t remember all the new words. I’m so worried about it. How can I improve my English? |
 | Don’t worry, Li Ping. I think it’s very useful to make word lists for different topics. For example, you can make lists for fruit, vegetables and animals. Then you can review them whenever you have time. The more you review, the better you will remember! |
 | I’m learning English and I feel frustrated. English grammar rules are really confusing. Sometimes I know all the words in a sentence but I still can’t understand the whole sentence. I become nervous when I speak English, too. What should I do? |
 | Don’t give up, David. As for grammar rules, I’ve used pictures and tables to help me, for example with verb tenses. I’ve also tried to put difficult structures into songs, but I think the best way to remember grammar rules is to use them. These methods work well for me. You can have a try. |
1. Li Ping’s problem in English learning is that he .
| A．can’t remember new words |
| B．can’t understand grammar |
| C．is nervous when he speaks English |
| D．can’t read new words |
| A．use pictures | B．make word lists |
| C．sing songs | D．use new words |
| A．new words | B．long sentences |
| C．grammar rules | D．topics |
| A．read them | B．use them |
| C．review them | D．write them |
In China, there are many special bookstores. Sanlian Taofen Bookstore became the first 24-hour bookstore in Beijing at the beginning of April. Popular Holdings in Shanghai is a film-themed bookstore. It has film books and posters. Eslite Bookstore in Taiwan often has activities like talks with famous writers.
At the same time, bookstores outside China can be very colorful, too. Scarthin Books is a small bookstore in the UK. It sells new and second-hand books. There are more than 100,000 books lying on the shelves of the store's 12 rooms. Bart's Books in the US is a good place to enjoy the sunshine (阳光) while reading books. It's an outdoor bookstore. Bookshelves are on the street. When the store is closed, people can still buy books. They just put money into the door's coin box. Where can you find a café, bar and bookstore in just one place? The answer is probably El Pendulo in Mexico. Books line (排列成行) the walls of the store. On the second floor, visitors can order everyday meals in the café and drinks from the bar. In order to keep cool, there are green plants and trees inside. Does it look like a park?
1. _____ special bookstores inside China are mentioned (提到) in the passage.
| A．2 | B．3 | C．5 | D．6 |
| A．a 24-hour bookstore | B．an outdoor bookstore |
| C．in the US | D．small |
| A．Bart's Books | B．Popular Holdings |
| C．Eslite Bookstore | D．El Pendulo |
| A．talk with famous writers | B．order meals |
| C．enjoy the sunshine | D．buy film posters |
| A．12 rooms | B．bookshelves |
| C．green plants and trees | D．coin boxes |
If you do, you need to take control(控制)of your feelings and stop getting angry so easily. Getting angry with people can cause you to lose friends.
Gray Gerber, an American high school teacher, has written My Feelings Are Like Wild Animals to help you control your feelings. It tells teens how to stay cool when bad things happen to them.
The book says that getting angry only makes problems worse. It can never make them better. Getting angry is not a natural way to act, the book says. It is just a bad habit, like smoking.
The book says you can control your anger easily. All you have to do is tell yourself not to be angry. When a baby falls over, he only cries if people are watching him.
Like a baby, you should only get angry if you are sure it is the right thing to do. The book gives many tips(提示)to help you if you get angry easily. Here are our tips：
(1)Keep a record. Every time you get angry, write down why you are angry.
(2)Ask your friends to stop talking to you when you get angry. This will teach you not to be angry.
(3)Do something different. When you get angry, walk away from the problem and go somewhere else. Try to laugh.
1. Where does Gray Gerber come from?
| A．Canada. | B．China. | C．America. | D．Australia. |
| A．you’d better leave |
| B．you’d better stay in a cold place |
| C．you’d better calm yourself |
| D．you’d better shout |
| A．makes your friends leave |
| B．helps to make more friends |
| C．is a good way to let out(发泄)feelings |
| D．helps to make things better |
| A．Write down why you are angry. |
| B．Walk away from the problem. |
| C．Try to laugh. |
| D．All of the above. |
| A．Both smoking and getting angry are bad habits. |
| B．Getting angry is not a natural way to act. |
| C．When you get angry, just cry like a baby. |
| D．How to control our feelings and it’s important. |
|
Look at the first picture. This empty box must fall over, because its center of gravity (C) is not above the line of its bottom (AB).Now look at the second picture. There are some heavy things in the bottom of this box. It will not fall, because its center of gravity is above its bottom.
1. Box _____________will not fall.
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．that everything has weight |
| B．a low center of gravity |
| C．a high center of gravity |
| D．why things fall over |
【推荐2】Dillon, a 12-year-old boy, was bullied (欺侮) at school. His classmates laughed at him because he stuttered (结巴). He was so sad that he nearly took his own life(自杀). Luckily, he received a letter from Tiger Woods, a famous golf star. After reading Tiger Woods’ letter, Dillon became confident. Here is what Tiger Woods said in his letter.
Dear Dillon,
Someone told me that you like watching me play golf. Thank you for that and I want to share my story with you.
Believe it or not, I also stuttered when I was young. So I knew what it’s like to be different from others. I was disappointed at that time, but I didn’t give up. I used to talk to my dog and he would sit there and listen to me until he fell asleep. I also took a class for two years to help myself, and I finally stopped stuttering. Maybe you can have a try.
You have a great family, and big fans like me on your side. Be well and keep fighting. I'm sure you'll be great at anything you do.
Sincerely yours,
Tiger Woods
1. What was Dillon's problem?| A．He did badly at school. | B．He was afraid to stay alone. |
| C．He felt hurt by his classmates. | D．He couldn’t get on well with others. |
| A．Dillon asked him for help |
| B．Dillon was one of his favorite fans |
| C．he had the same experience with Dillon |
| D．he thought his story would be helpful to Dillon |
| A．His hope for Dillon's future life. |
| B．His suggestions on growing up. |
| C．His ways of solving the problem. |
| D．His opinions on Dillon's problem. |
| A．fight with stuttering | B．be great at anything he does |
| C．forget all his problems | D．start doing something he can |
【推荐3】Big data（数据）is a lot of sets of information that are put together so they can be used by a computer program. The computer program looks for different kinds of answers in the data. Big data can have different kinds of information from many places, such as information that comes from schools, social media sites, companies, and governments. One set of data can have people's names and addresses. Another set can have what they like, where they go to school, and how much time they spend on the computer.
Big data can be used in many ways. The government uses it to understand how many people travel on buses or trains. This information is then used to make bus or train systems（系统）better. Some schools use big data to understand which children may need extra help in class. The teacher can then give certain students more help or support so those students can succeed in school. Companies use big data, too. It helps them understand who buys their things. For example, one company uses weather data to see when people eat the most ice cream.
Big data can be used for good reasons. Some hospitals use big data to predict if a baby who is born too early will get sick. The hospital can then take extra steps to take care of that baby so he or she does not get sick. Big data can also be used for bad reasons. It can be used to predict which kinds of people are likely to break the law or hurt others, even if they have not done anything wrong.
1. One company uses weather information to________.| A．give the children who succeed in school more help |
| B．know how much time people spend on the computer |
| C．find out how many people travel on buses or trains |
| D．understand when people will need ice cream most |
| A．多余的 | B．额外的 | C．有必要的 | D．有用的 |
| A．what the big data is and how it is used | B．why schools and hospitals use the big data |
| C．what the big data will be like in the future | D．when the government and companies use the big data |
| A．sad and personal | B．personal and scientific |
| C．informative but silly | D．scientific and informative |
【推荐1】It was last January, when I’d just finished a charity(慈善)and was on the train back home, that I put down my phone and started writing thank-you notes to people who had helped.
When I got off the train, I felt amazingly good. The next day, I wrote more thank-yous and the same feeling of happiness hit me again. I suddenly had the idea: Why not keep on doing this for every day of the year?
To keep on task, I decided to pick out a different theme for each month, January was charity. February would be neighbors, I decided. And I thought of a number of names right away: the owner of our local bookstore, who let me and my little son in before the store opened and offered to play his favorite songs; our babysitter, who dropped off a bag of old board games for our kids to play; …
While writing the notes, I realized how often I had spent my time on the phone moving from app to app, appreciating(欣赏) other people’s lives. Writing thank-you notes allowed me the time to do something different, paying more attention to my own life.
In the following months, I wrote to my friends, doctors, teachers and parenting role models. In July, my “food” month, I wrote to Julie, who used to cook at my favorite restaurant. It went like this:
Dear Julie,
I’ve been finding myself missing you lately. Thank you for hosting me and cooking beautiful and thoughtful food. Jake and I will never forget when you sent out biscuits shaped into the number VI for our sixth anniversary(周年纪念日). We talk about it every year.
Thank you. We miss you.
Love,
Gina
I was happy to receive a note back from her. Julie replied, “I don’t think I’ve ever received such a touching letter before. I’m going through a hard time right now, and this helps.”
On December 31, I wrote my last card to Jake, my husband, and our two kids. And I took a picture of us, so I could remember the feeling welling up inside me. Gratitude
1. The underlined word “this” in Paragraph 2 means ________.| A．writing thank-you notes | B．putting the phone away |
| C．taking the train back home | D．raising money for charity |
| A．Shy and surprised. | B．Pleased and relaxed. |
| C．Nervous and excited. | D．Moved and encouraged. |
| A．Many thanks from her neighbors. | B．More time to appreciate her own life. |
| C．More help from people around her. | D．Happy moments to be with her friends. |
| A．My Thank You Year | B．An Amazing Trip |
| C．Appreciation of others’ lives | D．Important People in Our Life |
Monday, June 11th
It rained all day, so we did not do any sports. We stayed in our classroom and read books.
Tuesday, June 12th
I missed（错过）the bus and was late for school. It wasn't my fault. The bus was 10 minutes early.
Wednesday, June 13th
I had an English test today. I got an A. It's my best grade ever! I made only spelling mistakes.
Thursday, June 14th
I went swimming with Adam and Steve. Steve is a good swimmer and he taught us a lot. I hope（希望） he will win the school swimming competition next Monday.
Friday, June 15th
I didn't go to school. I caught a cold because of swimming in the swimming pool. I stayed in bed and slept all day. 1 felt better in the evening. Mom didn't go to work. She looked after（照顾）me at home.
Saturday, June 16th
I felt much better today, but Mom made me stay at home, I watched TV all day. It was boring.
I didn't do anything interesting today.
1. What did Harry do on Monday?
| A．He slept all day. | B．He did some reading. |
| C．He went to the library. | D．He watched a lot of TV. |
| A．职责 | B．理由 | C．权利 | D．过错 |
| A．Happy. | B．Sorry. | C．Bored. | D．Tired. |
| A．June 15th | B．June 18th | C．June 22nd | D．June 25th |
| A．Because the weather was bad. |
| B．Because she had to go to see a doctor. |
| C．Because she had to look after Harry at home. |
| D．Because the bus was 10 minutes early and she missed it. |
| Class schedule for Monday | |
| 8:00 am | Information Technology(IT)-Using the Internet Students learn to surf the internet and use search engines. This lesson also offers students the best websites for online learning. |
| 10:00 am | Drama Students learn about a given play and have the chance to act it out in class. |
| 11:00 am | Painting with watercolors Students learn how to use watercolors properly. If the weather is good, the lesson may take place outdoors. |
| 11:50 am | Lunch break |
| 1:00 am | Science(Biology/Chemistry) Students can choose either of them. In biology this week, the topic is Human Body. Students will learn about how it works. Alternatively, students can study chemistry in the science lab. This week students will learn about H2 and O2. |
| 2:00 am | Sports(football for boys and tennis for girls) a. skills Students learn about the skills of a certain sport from videos of past games. b. practice After we pick teams, students will play a match lasting 45 minutes. |
| 2:00 am | |
| 3:00 am | |
| After school | Homework IT…… search for some websites at home (about 30 minutes). Drama---preview a part for the next lesson (about 40 minutes). Biology/Chemistry -…… write a short report on the lesson(about 20 minutes). |
1. At ________, students are having a painting lesson.
| A．9:30 am | B．11:15 am | C．1:30 pm | D．2:00 pm |
| A．As another choice | B．For this reason | C．In other words | D．As a result |
| A．physics | B．science | C．drama | D．sports |
| A．write reports on dramas | B．play basketball |
| C．make a video | D．surf the Internet |
| A．half an hour | B．one and a half hours | C．two hours | D．20 minutes |
