1 . Love your parents
Even if you think that your parents are mean-spirited at times, loving your parents is a normal and fulfilling （满意的）part of life. You love them for the fact that they created you, raised you, and are in part a source of who you are. Here are some ways to love your parents.
Respect them more and cherish（珍惜）these moments. You can use these moments to learn from them when you're off on your own. It's OK to get angry but angry actions don't help you or your parents. Act calmly, cool off, journal about your feelings, or talk to a friend.
Obey their requests. It will make your attitude better and earn you more respect from them. It may seem like you are going through hell when you don't get what you want or you have to clean. However, you had better remember they keep a roof over your head when it's cold, raining, snowing, or too hot. Understand that parents are human beings and make mistakes.
Keep company with them. Do things with your parents like watching TV, or go somewhere with them.
Some people simply may not be able to love their parents. .
| A．There can be realistic reasons for this, family violence for example. |
| B．Anyway, spend as much time with them as you can. |
| C．Tell them you love them every morning. |
| D．Forgiveness is the key. |
| E．Parents will turn express their love to you. |
| F．After this, share your feelings with your parents. |
| G．Please remember parents are as important as friends. |
2 . U.S. actor Brent Hill studied the violin for seven years during his childhood. But, now, he couldn’t make a sound out of it. His latest role as Dewey Finn in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, School of Rock, in which he plays with 36 talented child musicians, reminds him of his time as an instrumentalist.
Hill shared his story on arriving in Beijing. School of Rock is being staged in Beijing from March 22 until April 14 on its debut China tour. The musical staged its world premiere on Broadway in 2015.
The musical is based on the successful 2003 Hollywood comedy, starring Jack Black. The plot follows Dewey Finn, a failed rock star forced to make money as a substitute teacher at a private elementary school, where he turns a class of straight-A students into a rock band.
“The role, Dewey, is the biggest kid. I am a big kid in real life, so this part is not challenge. When I got the role, I did the exact same thing as Dewey who is a loser,” Hill says. “Working with child actors is exciting.”
Thousands of kids auditioned. Three-and-a-half months later, 36 made the cut. Samantha Zhang plays the role of Katie. She has practiced piano for seven years and violin for four but had to learn to play bass for the musical. “No many girls play bass. It’s so cool, and I feel like a rock star,” says the 13-year-old, who made her musical-theater debut in 2014. It’s the first time for the girl, who lives in Sydney with her Chinese parents, to visit China.
Webber became interested in the movie. He wrote 12 new songs. Hill says it’s difficult to get Black’s acting out of his subconsciousness. However, Webber’s songs enable Hill to make the role his own.
“School of Rock is about how music reaches and transforms everyone’s life especially children.” Webber said. “When the substitute teacher turned the straight-A student class into a rock band, it changed his life and theirs forever.”
1. What caused Hill to realize he was an unsuccessful violinist?| A．His latest role as Dewey Finn. | B．His childhood sufferings. |
| C．Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical. | D．36 talented child musicians’ performance. |
| A．He is the biggest child in his family. | B．He has staged the musical many times. |
| C．He liked to work with child actors. | D．He had the same experience as Dewey Finn. |
| A．She has little talent for music. | B．She enjoys her role of Katie. |
| C．She made her debut in China. | D．She was born in China. |
| A．Musicals lead to one’s success. | B．Webber’s new songs make little sense. |
| C．Music has significant effects in life. | D．Hill has performed in many musicals successfully. |
3 . What you do after studying could have a big effect on how well you learn and remember. Today on Education Tips, we will explore two no-cost ways that can help you improve your learning: wakeful rest and sleep.
When many students finish studying, they often go straight to another activity. Perhaps they look at their phone or computer. They might even play a video game or watch television. But research suggests that resting after your study may help you remember what you have studied.
The basic idea is this: by stopping your activity after the study, your brain gets a chance to rest. Resting is difficult when you are playing computer games.
While this might sound unusual to you, many studies have explored the benefits of resting after learning—what is called “wakeful rest”.
A 2019 study found that both young and older adults were able to better remember information they learned after doing wakeful rest.
If you want to give “wakeful rest” a try, here are a few simple things to do. Rest quietly for five to ten minutes. Do not look at your phone, read stories or play games. It is really that easy!
Besides wakeful rest, sleep is also important for learning. The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS) notes that sleep helps people to learn in two ways. A report on the school’s website explains that “a sleep-deprived person cannot focus attention well and therefore cannot learn well”. It also says, “Sleep itself helps us to memorize and that memorizing is very important for learning new information.”
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) suggests that adults between the ages of 20 and 64 get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per day. Teenagers may need a little bit more, and people over the age of 65 may need a little less.
Try to get some “wakeful rest” after a study. Then try to get a good night’s sleep. That’s it—a simple, no-cost way to help you remember what you learn.
1. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?| A．The importance of sleep. | B．The good ways to get a rest. |
| C．The reason for having a rest. | D．The types of resting activities. |
| A．Reading a newspaper. | B．Playing a video game. |
| C．Sitting there doing nothing. | D．Having a nice sleep at night. |
| A．Less than 7 hours. | B．Just 7 hours. |
| C．No more than 9 hours. | D．Around 9 hours. |
| A．Low-cost Tips on Working | B．Good Things to Do After Your Study |
| C．Why Do We Need to Have a Good Sleep? | D．How Long Should We Rest After Learning? |
4 . Pilates (普拉提), yoga and the running machine get all the attention when it comes to popular ways to keep fit. There is, however, a more humble exercise that might not be so attractive, but has all the benefits—walking.
Certified fitness professional Jolynn Jaekel explains, "What I love about walking is that anyone can do it at any age and any fitness level. Plus it is good for your heart, your head and your wallet.”
A recent report detailed the health benefits of walking. The report found that walking regularly to fulfill (执行,履行) the 150 minutes of moderate (适度的) physical exercise every week, recommended by the UK's chief medical officer, could save 37, 000 lives each year.
Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California found that quick walking reduced the risk of heart disease more effectively than running. They observed participants aged between 18 and 80 over a six-year period and found that walking reduced the risk of heart disease by 9.3%, while running reduced it by 4. 5%. And there is even more good news: 30 minutes of quick walking over five days could help you sleep easily, according to research by Oregon State University. The study by the university showed that walking helped participants sleep better and feel more alert during the day.
The sooner you get started, the sooner you'll notice the differences in your mind and body. So, go out for your 30-minute walk in a nearby park or green space.
1. What does the underlined word "humble" probably mean in the first paragraph?| A．relaxing | B．plain |
| C．popular | D．active |
| A．It's loved by people of all ages. |
| B．It's much healthier than running. |
| C．It's becoming more and more popular. |
| D．It's a money-saving physical exercise. |
| A．Walking helps people with sleep problems. |
| B．Walking contributes to curing heart disease. |
| C．Walking is better than running in some cases. |
| D．Walking 150 minutes per week can save lives. |
| A．Lifestyle | B．Comment |
| C．Education | D．Science |
5 . You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860-1935)Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community (社区) by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907-1964)If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness(意识) of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator (参议员) and in 1981, the first woman to join the U. S. Supreme Court (最高法院). O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks(1913-2005)On December 1,1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rasa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott (抵制). It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.
1. What is Jane Addams famous for in history?| A．Her social work. | B．Her teaching skills. |
| C．Her efforts to win a prize. | D．Her community background. |
| A．Not having training in law. | B．Her little work experience in court. |
| C．Her identity as a woman. | D．Her poor financial conditions. |
| A．Jane Addams. | B．Rachel Carson. |
| C．Sandra Day O’Connor. | D．Rosa Parks. |
| A．They are highly educated. | B．They are truly creative. |
| C．They are pioneers. | D．They are peace-lovers. |
6 . Did you know that the color of sports suits can influence(影响) the performance of an athlete? It may sound strange, but a study suggests this might be true.
Two British scientists studied the results of four sports in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games where the athletes had been given either a red or a blue sports suit. They discovered that when there was a big difference in the score, color had no influence on the result. But if it is a close match, the athlete in a red sports suit was more likely to win. Then they looked at the sports suits of the soccer team at the Euro 2004 championship. Again, teams wearing red won more games.
The two scientists got their idea from earlier studies of wild animals. It had been discovered that when a male shows red on its body, it sends a signal(信号) of it power and strength. For example, in many kinds of monkeys, the more the male shows off its red scars(伤疤) the more females it can attract.
Based on (根据) this fact, the British scientists thought that the idea might work for humans, too. According to them, when an athlete sees a competitor in a red sports suit, he gets a feeling that his competitor could be stronger than him. And that kind of feeling may have a bad influence on the player’s performance in the actual game. Although the idea is interesting, most people don’t accept that color signals in the animal world can really be useful to human sports. They think that it is unreasonable to develop an idea based on such a small number of examples. Much more research has to be done to prove(证明) the influence of sports suit colors on the performance of athletes.
1. What did the scientists find out about the 2004 Athens Olympic Games:| A．Athletes played equally well in four sports. |
| B．Game results had a big influence on the athletes. |
| C．Athletes dressed in red scored more in a close match. |
| D．There was a big difference in red and blue team’s scores. |
| A．It is quite strong. | B．It is a failure. |
| C．It is more powerful than other males. | D．It has attracted a lot of females. |
| A．weakness | B．pride | C．danger | D．shame |
| A．Interested | B．Satisfied | C．Doubtful | D．Thankful. |
7 . In Shakespeare’s HAMLET, Polonius asks the prince, “What are you reading, my Lord?” Hamlet replies, “Words, words, words.” Either, as is likely, Hamlet wasn’t interested in what he was reading, or, less likely, he didn’t understand the words he was reading. In this case, Polonius should have lent Hamlet a good dictionary.
Dictionaries are essential tools for people who like to read. There are so many words in English that even the most educated person will sometimes meet an unfamiliar word and have to look it up. Languages keep changing, too, with new words constantly being added and new meanings being applied to old words. For example, the 12th edition of Xinhua Dictionary, the most popular dictionary in China, has added new words such as “chu xin” “fen si” “er wei ma” etc. As for new meanings, “girl” once meant “a small child of either sex”. And “naughty” didn’t mean you were “enjoying playing tricks”; it meant you were poor.
A printed dictionary can’t keep pace with all the changes, which is why most dictionaries have websites and apps to help you keep up-to-date. However, I still prefer printed dictionaries because they give you more definitions and more examples of how a word is used. Even a simple word, such as “set”, has 430 meanings (the most of English words) but an online dictionary would only offer two or three. A printed dictionary also gives you the opportunity to discover new words as you run your finger down the page looking for the word you want.
There is no “official” English dictionary, but the Oxford English Dictionary is considered to be the best. For English language learners, however, I would recommend the Collins COBUILD Dictionary for Advanced Learners. Hamlet, by the way, was Danish and a college student. He would have appreciated the Collins Dictionary to help himself with his words, words, words. This dictionary has over 40,000 words and gives you full-sentence definitions with good examples of how words are used.
1. What’s the function of paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the topic. |
| B．To let the readers know more about HAMLET. |
| C．To arouse readers’ interest in Shakespeare. |
| D．To explain when it’s necessary to use a dictionary. |
| A．To show how powerful Xinhua Dictionary is. |
| B．To support the idea: languages keep changing. |
| C．To prove new words are being added to dictionaries. |
| D．To imply “girl” also means “boy” in some cases. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Ambiguous. | C．Negative. | D．Critical. |
| A．To introduce the history of dictionaries. |
| B．To call on learners to use dictionaries. |
| C．To recommend Collins Dictionary. |
| D．To explain why Hamlet likes Collins. |
8 . The other day, my sister and I were sitting in the restaurant, trying to have a conversation, but her children, four-year-old Willow and seven-year-old Luca, would not stop fighting. The arguments——over a fork, or who had more water in a glass--never stopped.
Then my sister reached into her handbag, produced two shiny iPads, and handed one to each child. Suddenly, the two were quiet. They sat playing games and watching videos, and we continued with our conversation.
After our meal, as my sister stuffed the iPads back into her bag, she said, “I don’t want to give them the iPads at the dinner table, but if they keep them occupied for an hour so we can eat in peace, I often just hand them over. I am afraid that it’s bad for them. I do worry that it makes them think it’s OK to use electronics at the dinner table in the future.”
Dr. Gary Small, director of the Longevity Center at the University of California, Los Angeles says that the brain is highly sensitive to stimuli(刺激物), like iPads and smartphone screen, and if people spend too much time on one technology, and less time interacting(互动)with people like parents at the dinner table, that could prevent the development of certain communication skills.
“Conversations with each other are the way children learn to have conversations with themselves, and learn how to be alone,” said Sherry Turkle, a professor of science, technology and society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She fears that children who do not learn real interactions, which often have imperfections, will come to know a world where perfect, shiny screens give them a false sense of intimacy(亲密) without risk. However, they need to be able to gather themselves and know who they are. So someday they can form a relationship with another person without a panic of being alone. “If you don’t teach your children to be alone, they will only know how to be lonely,” she said.
1. What did Willow and Luca fight about?| A．Little things. | B．iPads. |
| C．Delicious food. | D．Interesting things. |
| A．She loved doing it very much | B．She was uncertain about its effects. |
| C．She felt it was worth a try. | D．She felt surprised at its effect. |
| A．Provide their children with various technologies. |
| B．Teach their children communication skills. |
| C．Limit their children’s screen time. |
| D．Talk to their children at the dinner table. |
| A．Children are afraid of taking risks. |
| B．Children try to escape from the real world. |
| C．Children can’t deal with time when they have to be alone. |
| D．Children can’t live without electronic devices. |
9 . A young Dutch inventor is widening his effort to cleanup floating (浮动的) plastic from the Pacific Ocean. He has developed a floating device (设备) to trap plastic waste moving into rivers before it reaches the oceans.
Boyan Slat was just 18 years old when he invented a system for catching waste in the ocean. He also founded an environmental group called “The Ocean Cleanup”. Its purpose is to develop the system. Last year, Slat showed the next step: a floating device which is called Interceptor. It removes plastic out of rivers. The device is powered by energy from the sun. “The 1,000 rivers are responsible for about 80% of plastic going into the world’s oceans,” said Slat. Three of the machines have already been used. Each machine costs about $775, 660, but the cost might drop as production increases.
Since they were used, the machines have been doing very well, collecting the plastic bottles and all the rubbish in the rivers. According to Slat, it is necessary to close “the tap”, which means preventing more plastic from reaching the ocean in the first place. He wanted to clean them all in the next five years. “This is not going to be easy, but if we do get this done, we could truly make our oceans again, ”said Slat.
The device is designed to be safe in rivers. Its nose is shaped to change directions to keep it away from larger floating things. It works by guiding plastic waste into an opening in the front of the device. The waste is then carried inside the machine where it is dropped into containers. The devices ends a text message to local operators that can come and empty it when it is full.
1. What do we know about Interceptor?| A．It needs solar power to work. | B．It is mainly used in the oceans. |
| C．It is being under test. | D．It can help sort waste. |
| A．The waste. | B．The oceans. |
| C．The machines. | D．The rivers. |
| A．To ensure the device’s safety. | B．To send operators text messages. |
| C．To empty the waste. | D．To serve as containers. |
| A．A novel. | B．A magazine. |
| C．A diary. | D．A guidebook. |
10 . Empathy (同理心) is one of those strange qualities — something almost everyone wants, but few know how to truly give or receive it. In a world where self-satisfaction is emphasized, it is in short supply but high demand. This is all the more reason to teach the next generation what it means to have empathy for those around them.
What Is Empathy? — Many people confuse sympathy and empathy, but they are two distinct values. Empathy is not just the ability to understand someone's feelings; criminals often take advantage of people by appearing to understand their feelings and subsequently gaining their trust. Empathy is more than that. Not only is it the ability to recognize how someone feels, but it also values and respects the feelings of another person. It means treating others with kindness, dignity, and understanding.
Kids Need To See Adults Show Empathy — While some children are gifted with naturally kind hearts, in most cases kids need to see empathy modeled by the adults around them. It begins with the way parents relate to their children. Parents who show an interest in the things that matter to their kids and respond to emotions in a positive and caring way are teaching the skill of empathy.
Meet Emotional Needs — When children have their emotional needs met, two things happen. They learn how to meet the emotional needs of others and they are anchored in what they are receiving, meaning that they are secure enough to give to others when the need arises but first they need to receive. An empty jug cannot fill a cup.
It's a good idea to talk to kids about emotions and how other people experience them. Give their emotions names (for example, jealousy, anger, and love) and teach them that these are normal. Talk to them about how to handle emotions in a positive way and point out situations where other people are experiencing emotions. Teach them about respecting the emotions of others and show them how to act in a situation where a response is required.
1. Why is it that the next generation are taught to have empathy?| A．Because people tend to center themselves. | B．Because everyone lacks empathy. |
| C．Because empathy is a strange quality. | D．Because it's better to give than to receive. |
| A．When a mathematician is calculating the area of a farmland. |
| B．When a teacher is comforting a student about his failure in exams. |
| C．When a criminal is cheating a victim. |
| D．When a dancer is dancing to music. |
| A．An empty jug is too small to hold a cup. |
| B．It's a must to talk to kids about emotions. |
| C．Adults should set an example to kids. |
| D．Kids give empathy with their emotional needs met first. |
| A．How to train kids to have empathy. |
| B．How to distinguish sympathy and empathy. |
| C．How to help kids finish empathy-related tasks. |
| D．Whether kids can be trained to be more empathetic. |
