1 . If you live in the United States, the law says you can’t have a full-time job until you are 16 years old. At 14 or 15, you can have a part-time job after school or on weekends, and during summer you can work 40 hours each week. Does all that mean that if you are younger than 14, you can’t earn your own money? Of course not! Kids who are between the ages of 10 and 13 can earn money by doing lots of things.
Valerie, 11, told us that she made money by cleaning up other people’s yards. Lena, 13, makes money by knitting (织) dog sweaters and selling them to her neighbours, and Reisa said she had started taking art classes and showing her works to people. People have asked her to draw pictures for them and they pay her for them. Jasmine, 13, writes articles for different magazines!
Earning is learning. By working to earn your own money, you are learning the skills you will need to succeed in life. These skills can include things like getting along with others, using technology and using your time. Some people think that asking for money is a lot easier than earning it; however, when you make your own money, you don’t have to depend on someone else. The five dollars that you earn will probably make you feel a lot better in your hand than the twenty dollars you ask for.
1. Kids can have full-time jobs at the age of _________ in the USA.| A．16 | B．14 | C．13 | D．10 |
| A．after school | B．on weekends |
| C．during summer | D．on weekdays |
| A．cleaning up other people’s yards |
| B．drawing pictures for others |
| C．writing articles for different magazines |
| D．knitting dog sweaters and selling them to her neighbours |
| A．Valerie | B．Lena | C．Reisa | D．Jasmine |
| A．You are learning how to succeed by working in your teens. |
| B．Kids are encouraged to live independently in the USA. |
| C．Earning one’s money is better than asking for money from others. |
| D．Kids don’t need to get along with others when making money. |
| A．parents won’t let their children earn their own money |
| B．it’s hard for kids under 14 years old to earn money in the USA |
| C．kids can learn skills if they try to earn money on their own |
| D．if kids try to earn money, they won’t have enough time to study |
2 . Want to see a good film without leaving the house? Well, just switch on the television. But people could not do so 30 or 40 years ago. A visit to the cinema was an evening out; a film was something special. Nowadays young people still go to the cinema often, and children watch a lot of television. Films and film stars are a strong force (力量) in our lives. So there is little film education in schools. The best way is to teach children how to make a film of their own.
This is not too difficult. Three things are important—the cost, the idea of the film, and organization. A four-minute film can cost as little as $10. Schools can rent (租用) necessary machines. They can also borrow films that other children have made. This helps them to see what is possible in a short film. Children will be making the film, so the main idea for the film must come from them. When these have been agreed, the organization begins. Someone must write the film and plan the filming. Some children will be actors, and others will be camera men, lighting men, technicians (技术人员) and so on. They all have to practice a lot before the film itself is made. They learn a great deal about the technical problems of the films, and about themselves.
1. What could not people do 30 or 40 years ago?2. It’s very difficult to make a film of our own, isn’t it?
3. How much should the children pay at least for a four-minute film?
4. Where must the main idea for the film come from?
5. What jobs will the children do when making a film?
6. What do you think of making a film of your own?
3 . What’s your favourite weather? Do you like sunny or rainy days? Many people like sunshine a lot. They don’t like rain. They think rain can make them feel sad. During a long holiday, they like going to the beach to enjoy the sunshine. Sunshine can make them feel good and happy. I like sunshine very much, but I also enjoy rain.
I enjoy the sound of rain. It can make me feel quiet. On rainy days, I like listening to music and doing some reading, or just looking at the rain and daydreaming. When you daydream, you don’t have to think about other things. I think it’s a good way to relax when it rains.
Sunshine can make one run around and rain can make one quiet, so I hope you can feel happy no matter it rains or shines.
判断下列句子是否符合短文内容，符合的用“T”表示，不符合的用“F”表示。
1. Sunshine can make people feel good and happy.
2. People go to the beach to enjoy sunshine or rain.
3. The sound of rain makes people feel quiet.
4. Maybe daydreaming is a good way to relax when it rains.
5. No matter it rains or shines, we can make ourselves feel happy.
4 . Lives of children are not the same around the world. Children in rich countries like Germany live differently from children in poor countries like Sierra Leone in Africa.
A good German breakfast consists of rolls, jam, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, cold meat and milk. Lunch is the main meal of the day and it is the heaviest! Dinner is thought to be a lighter meal than lunch.
German children start their education at a young age. Subjects are taught in German but children also study a third language such as French.
In Germany, cycling and swimming are popular activities among children. Families also like to go for walks in the forest in warmer seasons. In winter, they often go skiing or take a holiday in a country with warmer weather.
In contrast (相比之下), the poor children in Sierra Leone live mainly on rice. They do not always have meat or eggs. The children also have to wake up around three o’clock in the morning to fetch water.
Many children in Sierra Leone, especially girls, do not go to school. Most families are so poor that only boys get to attend school. After school, the boys also have to help parents with housework.
Most girls do not go to school as they are needed at home. They must cook and do other housework. Families in Sierra Leone are usually very large and older girls are expected to care for their younger brothers or sisters.
1. Children in rich countries live the same life as children in poor ones, don’t they?2. Which meal is the heaviest in Germany?
3. Which language is a second language for German children?
4. What are their favourite sports?
5. What do children in Sierra Leone mainly live on?
6. Why do most girls in Sierra Leone have to stay at home instead of going to school?
