When answering the phone, it is important for you to have polite and friendly manners. But do you know how to answer the phone properly? Here are some advice for you.
Right time
It is best to answer the phone after 2 or 3 rings. If you let it ring more than 3 times, the caller may become impatient and think you’re not available now. If you pick up the phone after the first ring, the caller may not have enough time to organize his/her thoughts.
Quiet environment
It is necessary to answer the phone in a quiet environment. If you’re in a loud environment, move somewhere quieter so that you can hear the caller, and the caller can hear you, too.
Polite greeting
If you don’t know who is calling, you can first say “Hello” and give your name. And then nicely ask who’s calling. Once the caller has introduced himself/herself, you can address (称呼) the caller properly. If you know who is calling, feel free to say something like “Hi! How are you today?” So please greet the person politely first when you pick up the phone.
Empty mouth
Don’t talk to other people if you’re having some food. Take the time to swallow (咽下) it before answering the phone. In fact, you’re not supposed to speak with your mouth full at any time. Even when you’re talking to a friend, he/she may have a hard time understanding you.
| ◆Neither let the phone ring more than 3 times nor pick up the phone after the first ring, you’d better answer the phone after 2 or 3 rings. | |
Quiet environment | ◆A quiet place can make both |
Polite greeting | ◆After |
Empty mouth | ◆ |
“Believe in yourself. ” “It’s okay to be different. ”
These are a few of the encouraging messages that you can heat when you call the PepToc Hotline（热线）. It is part of an art project created by teachers Jessica Martin and Asherah Weiss with students at west Side School in California. The hotline took off after it started. People called from around the world.
This was a surprise. “At first, we wanted this project to be just for our little town, ”Martin said. The town had been through a hard time because of the wildfires and the pandemic（疫情）But her students were strong and stayed happy.
The PepToc project has two parts. One part is inspirational posters（励志海报）. Students put them up around town. There were more than 150 posters. “Kids just ran with it, Weiss says. The other part is pep talks（激励的话）. Martin invited kids to record these pep talks for the telephone hotline. In its first several weeks, the hotline got millions of calls.
“People need something to make them feel good in these difficult times,” Darin Juric told TZME for Kids. He is a student who took part in the project. Martin agrees. “It really does just take a few words of kindness to spread joy around the world,” she says.
1. The PepToc Hotline was created ________.| A．by three artists and their kids | B．to make teacher’s life fresh |
| C．by two teachers and their students | D．to help students around the world |
| A．play exciting songs | B．spread encouraging messages |
| C．send special invitations | D．translate different languages |
| A．had a hard time | B．got popular quickly |
| C．changed our lives | D．waste much money |
| A．who can record the pep talks | B．why the PepToc was popular |
| C．what the PepToc project includes | D．where you can find the posters |
| A．it’s not easy to record pep talks | B．failure is the mother of success |
| C．everyone must take part in the project | D．little words can make a big difference |
3 . In the village of Liuke in China, houses are built with dark bricks（砖）and red windows.
They stand quietly among tall and green trees.
Many tourists have come to Liuke village to enjoy its natural beauty and rich culture. “This is just beautiful, ”says Zhao Mingzhuo, a tourist from Zhejiang Province. “The kids get to enjoy the fields（田野）here, the old enjoy the quiet environment, and the young people can go camping. It’s quite a good experience here.
Liuke is one of the ancient villages that lie beside the Wanquan River in Hainan. Wanquan River is 163 kilometers long and flows through an area of more than 3,600 square kilometers. A classic Chinese folk song（民歌）sings in praise of the clear water of the river. And in recent years, the Wanquan River has become a calling card for Hainan, thanks to its rich stories and history.
In the old days, when villagers needed to travel to other villages, they had to pass by this village. Gradually, the village became a stopover（中转站）for tourists, so it got its name Liuke, which means please stay here a little longer.
In recent years, the local government has worked hard to attract tourists to the village. ____▲ ____ Now the village has not only attracted tourists, but also helped villagers stay. In this way, the village can develop more quickly.
1. Tourists can ___________ in the village of Liuke.| A．plant tall and green trees |
| B．take a boat trip up the Wanquan River |
| C．have delicious local food there |
| D．admire the natural beauty and rich culture |
| A．The Wanquan River has the clearest water. |
| B．Liuke is the only ancient village in Hainan. |
| C．The Wanquan River has rich stories and history. |
| D．People in Liuke like singing Chinese folk songs. |
| A．guests stay | B．villagers pass by | C．villagers work hard | D．tourists show up |
| A．Tourists spend a lot of money in travelling. |
| B．Many travelling programs have been set up. |
| C．Tourists make the village famous in the world. |
| D．People all over the country want to take a trip here. |
| A．An Old River Village | B．The Wanquan River |
| C．A Famous Folk Music | D．People in Liuke Village |
Frank | When talking about how I make a living, almost everyone believes I’m lucky. I test computer games, so I spend hours playing them at home to see whether they’re good or not. Sometimes I have to keep playing the game until it breaks. It can be fun. But it can also make me feel boring to play the same game over and over again. |
Joe | My job isn’t exactly unusual. Sometimes my job is interesting. When some people see crimes, they will talk to me, then I draw a picture of the criminal, and the police put it in newspaper and on television to find him. But many people don’t always see things the same way, they don’t always remember well, so this job is sometimes difficult. Anyway, I love my job. |
Betty | I’m a house sitter. A house sitter is a person who looks after another person’s house when he or she is away. Sometimes I stay for just a couple of weeks. But sometimes I have to stay at others’ home for six months or more. Do you think it’s an easy or boring job? |
Ann | If you watch any TV drama, you may find ordinary people（普通人） in the background, behind the main actors. That’s my job, playing ordinary people in TV dramas. I usually work for two hours a day. So I always take a good book because mostly I’m just sitting and waiting. |
| A．he can work at home | B．he lives a happy and easy life |
| C．he never gets bored | D．he can play computer games freely |
| A．teacher | B．police artist | C．news reporter | D．scientist |
| A．is a popular actress | B．works long hours every day |
| C．may feel boring sometimes | D．likes reading during work breaks |
| A．acting | B．inventing | C．drawing | D．writing |
| A．present jobs | B．different person | C．good TV dramas | D．great dreams |
It’s important to develop good study habits. Here’s how.
Prepare for homework assignments（任务）
Be sure you understand what the teacher expects. If you’re not sure, ask questions before you leave class. Always write down the assignment and the deadline（截止日期）in your notebook. Don’t just try to remember it!
Take notes
Make a habit of taking good notes during class. Don’t try to write down every word your teacher says. Instead, write down the main ideas you need to remember.
Create a study space
Is it difficult to pay attention when you study? Do you study in a noisy environment? Create a quiet place at home where you can focus on（专注于）study. You must keep yourself away from loud music or the TV. Turn off your phone and computer when you can.
Manage your time
Use your time well. Put a calendar（日历）on your wall and use it to record your assignments. Choose a time that’s good for you to study, for example, when you get home from school or after dinner. And make sure you have enough breaks, for example, after an hour, take a walk.
Develop good personal habits
Let’s face it. If you are tired or feel sick, studying will not be easy. Resting well, getting enough exercise and avoiding unhealthy food are important. You will study better when you’re rested and in good health.
How to develop good study habits | |
| Prepare for homework assignments | ·In order to make sure you are clear about your homework, you can ask questions, |
| | ·It’s important to take notes and remember the main ideas. |
| Create a study space | ·You need to study in a quiet place |
| Manage your time | ·A calendar can be ·The study time and breaks should be well managed. |
| Develop good personal habits | ·If you want to study better, you need to |
6 . Do you know what is sleepwalking (梦游)? Have you ever seen it? Are you afraid of it?
Sleepwalking actually happens during deep sleep. When you see a child sets out of bed and walks around as if he’s awake, but he won’t respond to you or anything around him, he’s asleep. It doesn’t hurt the child, and it usually disappears when the kid grows up.
________ 7% to 15% of children sleepwalk, and it doesn’t usually mean that there’s anything wrong with them. Children aged 4 to 12 are more perhaps to sleepwalk. Both boys and girls sleepwalk.
Sleepwalking often happens in the first few hours of the night. Though the child’s mind is asleep, his body is not asleep during the period of sleepwalking.
Sleepwalking usually has something to do with age and development. However, some things can increase your child’s sleepwalking. For example, bad habits that cause poor sleep, fever or some other illnesses, a family history of sleepwalking, medical conditions that cause poor sleep and so on.
If the child is sleepwalking at least once every night, it’s best to see a doctor. Also see a doctor if it is influencing the sleep of other family members or if you’re worried the child might hurt himself while sleepwalking.
1. The underlined word “respond” in Paragraph 1 means ________ in Chinese.| A．反应 | B．感动 | C．反对 | D．需要 |
| A．It is easier for boys to sleepwalk. | B．Please pay little attention to sleepwalking. |
| C．Sleepwalking is quite common. | D．Sleepwalking does good for children. |
| A．strong | B．awake | C．heavy | D．asleep |
| A．adults never sleepwalk | B．sleepwalking happens at noon |
| C．sleepwalking is very dangerous | D．7% to 15% of kids sleepwalk |
| A．ways to stop sleepwalking | B．sleepwalking and the reasons of it |
| C．when people can sleepwalk | D．who can avoid sleepwalking |
Scientists say that hobbies can make kids smarter, healthier and even more successful when they grow up. How?
They Help You Learn
When you have a hobby, you learn new things. You have to read instructions. You visit websites and read magazines or books to get more information about your hobby. More reading makes you a better reader and a better learner.
They Help You Be Creative
For many hobbies, such as building model cars and making pottery (陶器), you have to use your brain as well as your hands. We learn by doing things and by touching things. These kinds of activities make people more creative.
They Help You Be Relaxed
Having a hobby makes you feel good. Scientists say, “When you make something, the ‘feel-good’ part of your brain gets a message. It makes you feel happy.” When we feel happy, we have less stress. Too much stress can make people sick.
They Help You Build Skills
People with hobbies learn how to set goals and solve problems. Learning these skills when you are young can help you when you grow up. For some kids, having a hobby can be the first step to finding a satisfying job in the future.
How Hobbies Make Kids Better | |
| They help you learn | ★ Having a hobby means learning new things, so you’ll read instructions and get more information about your hobby by ★ If you read more, you’ll read and learn |
| They help you be creative | ★ Many hobbies need you to use your ★ Such activities make you more creative. |
| They help you be relaxed | ★ You’ll feel good to have a hobby and this feeling will make you happy. ★ Happiness makes you have less stress so that you won’t get |
| ★ If you have a hobby, you’ll learn how to set goals and solve problems. ★ These skills are helpful for you to find a satisfying job when you grow up. | |
Labor (劳动) education has been made a part of compulsory education (义务教育). Many students have one course every week on basic household (家庭的) skills such as cleaning and cooking. What do the public think of it?
Li Mei, a student in Beijing
We spend most of the time studying and have little time to develop our interests. A household skill class can give us chances to experience more aspects (方面) of life and help us discover different interests.
Mrs. Chen, a housewife in Hubei
Cooking classes are necessary. Children should be taught how to cook properly. And I think it’s a job for both teachers and parents.
Mr. Wang, a teacher in Shandong
We teach children basic household skills in order to help them learn how to take care of themselves. It’s impossible for their parents to help with every problem they meet in their life. They need to learn to solve problems by themselves and grow from their experiences.
Wu Lei, an engineer in Shanghai
I learned some basic cooking skills from my mother when I was a little boy. But most of them were learned after I graduated from the university, from online short videos. Household skills are very useful in our daily life. I hope these classes will really make the students realize that labor is important and valuable.
1. How often do the students have labor courses?2. Does Li Mei have enough time to develop interests?
3. Who does Mrs. Chen think should teach children about cooking?
4. According to Mr. Wang, what’s the purpose of giving children labor courses?
5. When did Wu Lei begin to learn cooking skills from online short videos?
9 . For the first time, scientists have grown plants in moon soil (土壤) collected by NASA’s Apollo astronauts.
The scientists had no idea if anything would grow in moon soil. They wanted to see if it could be used to grow plants. And the result was surprising. “Plants actually grow in moon soil,” Robert Ferl, a scientist of the University of Florida said.
Ferl and other researchers planted thale cress, a small flowering plant, in moon soil. The good news was that all of the seeds (种子) grew.
Scientists found that the longer the soil was on the moon, the worse the plants seemed to grow. The soil collected by the Apollo 11 was the least helpful for growth. It was a couple billion years longer. One solution (解决方法) might be to use younger soil on the moon, like lava (火山岩), or put in some special nutrient (营养物) mixtures.
Only 382 kilograms of moon rocks and soil were brought back by the six Apollo groups that landed on the moon. Early last year, NASA finally gave out 12 grams of soil for the planting experiment (实验).
The Florida scientists hope to reuse their moon soil later this year, planting more thale cress before possibly moving on to other plants.
A scientist said, “Growing plants is a big step forward. The real next step is to go and do it on the surface of the moon.”
1. The result of the planting experiment made the scientists ________.| A．disappointed | B．worried | C．surprised | D．moved |
| A．Soon they became very tall |
| B．And they grew very fast |
| C．The bad news was that they grew too big after the first week |
| D．The bad news was that after the first week, they grew slowly |
| A．the soil collected by the Apollo 11 was the youngest |
| B．lava may be better for growth |
| C．it’s useless for growth to put in nutrient mixtures |
| D．the Apollo 11 landed on the moon a couple billion years ago |
| A．To use the moon soil again in the experiment. | B．To ask NASA for more moon soil. |
| C．To plant some other plants in new moon soil. | D．To make some old soil younger. |
| A．To collect more soil from the moon. | B．To send more scientists to the moon. |
| C．To grow plants on the moon surface. | D．To plant more thale cress on the moon. |
Life offers so many lessons, both practical and personal, and you’re never too young to begin learning them. Here are some necessary skills to learn as soon as possible in life.
Money Management
When you start receiving money of your own. It’s time to start understanding your relationship with money. In a world where you can buy any and every object, the key is to save money by buying only essentials (必需品) and a treat sometimes.
Cooking
One great way to save money is to learn to cook for yourself. Beyond that, cooking at home also helps you control your diet for better health. If you start doing this at an early age, you will not have to depend on your parents too much.
Keeping Promises
Promises are a matter of honesty and should be made with care. We must learn from an early age that our word must be followed up by action. When it isn’t, others will quickly lose trust in us and not respect us.
Accepting Rejection (拒绝)
Though you must be careful not to break your word, others’ promises aren’t always kept. Learn about it early, and you won’t be hurt easily. Also, not every job application or desired (渴望的) friendship will work out, so remember that there are more fish in the sea.
Lifelong Learning
No matter how old you get, there will always be things beyond your understanding. It’s better to learn to be modest now rather than take a proud fall later in life. Please keep learning new experiences. And it’s never too late to start.
Title: | |
Money Management | ★ Buying only essentials and a treat sometimes can help you save money. |
Cooking | ★ It’s good for your health to control your diet by cooking at home. ★ |
| ★ Promises are made of honesty and care. ★ Take action to keep the promises in order not to lose trust. | |
Accepting Rejection | ★ You won’t be hurt easily if you learn the fact that not everyone will always keep their words. ★ You can’t expect every |
Lifelong Learning | ★ Learn to be modest now instead of taking a proud fall later in life. ★ |
