1 . There have been many problems with our schools today, the biggest of which is closely related to our culture. In general, our culture, as represented in the media, gets excited by famous stars, and constantly stresses that it's what you have, not what you are, that counts. Parents are encouraged to be away from even very small children for most of the day. Too many voters go for politicians who would rather cut school funding (基金）than to get rid of tax cuts for the wealthy. All contribute greatly to the problems of educating our children.
Today's teachers have to deal with a culture that is vastly different than in the past. They report that there is, among more children than ever, a lack of motivation, no drive to succeed or even try. The role models that boys view in the media mostly consist of men in comedies and other shows who are rude and often extremely immature: self-centered overpaid athletes; men in movies, television dramas, video games, etc. who are preoccupied with violence and power. As Leonard Sax wrote in "Boys Adrift". "Teenage boys are looking for models of mature adulthood. but we no longer make any collective effort to provide such models. "Girls are attacked not only with such annoying images (形象）of males. .but also with women who are preoccupied with appearance and are extremely materialistic.
In such a cultural environment, it is more important than ever to have responsible, loving and caring parents who have enough time and motivation to devote to their children and see to it as their duty to model for them and raise them with high standards of honesty and responsibility along with tending to their physical needs. They need to care enough to see that their children are not attacked with the garbage that comes from movie, television and computer screens. In today s culture, they are basically alone in this effort since, unfortunately, so much is working against them.
Until we, as a culture, face the truth about ourselves-that we are not providing adequately for a great many of our children--the storm will continue to rage (肆虐）over our education system.
1. How is paragraph 1 mainly developed?| A．By analyzing causes. | B．By showing differences. |
| C．By describing a process. | D．By using time order. |
| A．Narrow access to entertainment. | B．Poor understanding abilities. |
| C．Few materialistic models. | D．Little desire for success. |
| A．devote more to their children |
| B．find honest models for their children |
| C．keep their children away from computers |
| D．help their children develop motivation |
| A．Positive. | B．Ambiguous. |
| C．Dissatisfied. | D．Approving. |
2 . There were smiling children all the way. Clearly they knew at what time the train passed their homes and they made it their business to stand along the railway, wave to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang. Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favorite relatives. This is the simple village people of Malaysia. I was moved.
I had always traveled to Malaysia by plane or car, so this was the first time I was on a train. I did not particularly relish the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread. I looked about the train. There was not one familiar face. I sighed and sat down to read my Economics.
It was not long before the train was across the Causeway and in Malaysia. Johore Baru was just another city like Singapore, so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past. As we went beyond the city, I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green. Then the first village came into sight, immediately I came alive; I decided to wave back.
From then on my journey became interesting. I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life. Then everything came alive. The mountains seemed to speak to me. Even the trees were smiling. I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time.
The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry. I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 pm. Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth. I looked at the people all around me. They all looked beautiful. When my uncle arrived with a smile, I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug (拥抱). I had never done this before. He seemed surprised and then his weather-beaten face warmed up with a huge smile. We walked arm in arm to his car.
I looked forward to the return journey.
1. The author expected the train trip to be________.| A．adventurous | B．pleasant | C．exciting | D．dull |
| A．The friendly country people. | B．The mountains along the way. |
| C．The crowds of people in the streets. | D．The simple lunch served on the train. |
| A．choose | B．enjoy | C．prepare for | D．carry on |
| A．Johore Baru. | B．The Causeway. | C．Butterworth. | D．Singapore. |
3 . We all know that regular exercise is vitally important for both a healthy mind and body. Research has shown that just five minutes of exercise in a “green space” can help people to keep mentally healthy.
Let’s take a look at some ways to get close to nature and make them a part of your regular exercise routine.
Get on your bike
Cycling is a cheap, easy and fun way to get some good exercise in the outdoors. Try leaving your car at home and cycling to work one day, if that’s possible. Or get the family together and go on a weekend bike ride. Check out the local cycle paths before you go, and plan a safe route. Make sure you take some healthy snacks with you to keep your energy levels up.
Try some outdoor yoga
Practising yoga can be great for reducing anxiety and aiding relaxation, so why not take your yoga mat and try out some asanas (yoga postures) in the open air? Yoga is great for stretching tight muscles and increasing flexibility as well as improving mobility, control and breathing. Why not finish your practice with some quiet meditation to further calm the mind?
Go running
Instead of spending hours on the treadmill（跑步机）, grab a friend and go off for a jog around your local park, or some nature trails. If you are used to running on a treadmill, you may find it harder at first, so make sure you have some good, supportive running shoes. You could also find out where your nearest Parkrun is. They are open to everyone, free, and are safe and easy to take part in.
1. If you want to cycle with your family, you’d better __________.| A．have a healthy body |
| B．check the bikes carefully |
| C．learn some survival skills |
| D．make good preparations for it |
| A．Getting closer to nature. |
| B．Feeling relaxed or peaceful. |
| C．Keeping active and energetic. |
| D．Having no effect on people’s bodies. |
| A．It takes them some time to get used to it. |
| B．It needs some patience to continue. |
| C．It makes them lose interest in running. |
| D．It leads them to fall behind their friends. |
4 . Here some programs at 8 tonight
Country Music
Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?(1973-1983)
8:00PM|PBS
Witness alivelyera in country music, with Dolly Parton finding mainstream success; Hank Williams Jr.and Rosanne Cash emerging from their famous fathers' shadows; and Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings launching the “Outlaw" movement.
Expedition Unknown
Legends Never Die (Season 62|Episode 1)
8:00PM|TRAVEL
Josh uncovers the mystery of a treasure left behind by Brother XII. Then he travels to Eastern Europe to investigate the ancient origins and modern legacy of scaring figures.
Gold Rush | 58 METASCORE
Back to the Future
8:00PM|DSC
An extended sneak peek of the all-new season of Gold Rush reveals a crisis in the Klondike forcing the miners in new directions. We go back to the beginning, nine years ago,revealing the important moments that got each man to the crossroads they now face.
The Conners |75 METASCORE
Preemies,Weed and Infidelity (Season 2 | Episode 1)
8:00PM| ABC
The Season 2 premiere(首映式）．After Emilio's deportation(驱逐出境），Jackie steps into the role of a paternal figure and creates a vivid birth plan for Becky; but as the Conners know, nothing ever goes according to plan. Meanwhile, Darlene is tangled in a complex love triangle with David and Ben, and-like her mother-Harris is caught up in a problem of her own.
1. What do we know about Hank Williams Jr.and Rosanne Cash?| A．They are badly defeated now. |
| B．They aren't in the mainstream. |
| C．Their fathers were once successful. |
| D．They now follow their fathers' steps. |
| A．Terror. | B．Knowledge. |
| C．Science. | D．Sports. |
| A．Country Music. | B．Expedition Unknown. |
| C．Gold Rush. | D．The Conners. |
5 . Kids' Birthday Party Places in Queens
Find a place to hold your child's next birthday party. Plan your child's birthday party at one of these kid-friendly places in Queens. View our list online. Check the boxes and submit ( 提 交 ) the form below to connect with these businesses.
BEE YOU ART STUDIO
Telephone: 718-926-9728
Email: beeyouartstudio@gmail.com
Bee You Art Studio is a bright and fun studio ( 工作室) that offers birthday parties for ages 4 and older. The whole studio is yours for two hours. Parties include a step-by-step painting of your choice. We offer drawing paper, plates, brushes and paints. We can hold up to 30 people.
MUSIC TOGETHER® WITH MUSIC AND ME
Telephone: 718-229-0033
Email: info@musictogetherwithmusicandme.com
We provide special musical birthday party experiences for first through sixth birthdays. Families and friends celebrate a birthday child's day in a way in which everyone shares in the fun. Call us and we will hold your child's musical birthday party according to your needs. We can come to your space.
SOCCER KIDS NYC
Telephone: 917-655-5437 Email: info@soccerkidsnyc.com
We bring the party to you! We offer a fun, high-energy birthday party that children are able to take part in actively, and have a“moment ( 时 刻 ) to shine”. It includes party favor, and 60 minutes for $199 for up to 10 children, extra children are $15 each.
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY ZOOS
Telephone: 1-800-433-4149 Email: wcszoos@gmail.com
Make your wildlife lover's birthday an unforgettable experience with a party at our WCS zoos! Parties include park admission (入园), a private party room, special animal guests, visits to our exhibits (展览), and hands-on activities to make your party animal's birthday a truly unforgettable experience!
1. Which number should you call if your child is a music lover?| A．718-926-9728. | B．718-229-0033. |
| C．917-655-5437. | D．1-800-433-4149. |
| A．$169. | B．$199. | C．$214. | D．$229. |
| A．Painting tools. | B．An animal concert. |
| C．A party room of your own. | D．Animal guests of your choice. |
6 . In the past several years, air travel has become less appealing for some travellers. Tighter security regulations mean longer waits. Rising fuel prices can lead to more expensive tickets. Despite(尽管) the inconveniences, air travel still has a number of advantages over car, train and bus travel.
For a long distance, air travel is the fastest way to get to your destination, but even on shorter trips planes are much quicker. On a medium-length trip from New York City to Detroit, a flight will take about 4.5 hours—including an hour’s driving to and from the airport and an hour’s waiting in the terminal(终点站) — while a car ride will take 9.5 hours, a bus ride almost 15 hours and a train ride about 16.5 hours. Buses, cars and trains only begin to become competitive on extremely short trips such as from NYC to Philadelphia.
Plane crashes are tragic events that can result in hundreds of deaths. Fortunately, they are extremely rare. According to Chance News, the odds(可能性) of dying on a 1,000-mile flight are significantly less than those from dying on a 100-mile car ride. Car, bus and train travel are also more dangerous than flying on a plane.
The cost of tickets for airplane, bus and train travel can vary greatly. In many cases, however, air travel is the cheapest way. A trip from New York City to Detroit costs $86 by plane. This is comparable to slightly cheaper train tickets ($75) and bus tickets ($80) and cheaper than car travel ($115). On the longer New York City to Los Angeles trip, the advantages of air travel shine: airplane tickets are more than 30 dollars less than train tickets, the cheapest alternative.
1. Which means of transportation takes the longest time from New York City to Detroit?| A．A train ride. | B．A car ride. |
| C．A bus ride. | D．A flight. |
| A．Cast a shadow. | B．Are obvious. |
| C．Are unclear. | D．Reflect light. |
| A．He is worried about the safety of air travel. |
| B．He is familiar with the trip between New York City and Detroit. |
| C．He prefers travelling by car rather than by bus. |
| D．He chooses to travel by train while travelling around the US. |
| A．The Traffic System in America |
| B．The Disadvantages of Air, Train and Bus Travel |
| C．Different Ways of Travelling around the US |
| D．The Advantages of Air Travel |
7 . Scientists have been studying Antarctica for over a century, but details as basic as what it looks like beneath all that ice have largely remained a mystery. Now, Earther reports that a team of scientists from Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and the UK has published the most detailed data yet on the continent's subglacial topography （冰川下的地形）near the South Pole.
As they report in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, central Antarctica is home to three large canyons （峡谷）, one of which is deeper than the Grand Canyon and nearly as wide at some points. The researchers made the discovery by flying a plane with radar over the South Pole, a spot that isn't covered by satellites. They expected to find mountains beneath the ice sheet, but the wide canyons they found between the mountains came as a surprise.
Of the three canyons, two hadn't been documented previously. The largest, the Foundation Trough （基础槽），measures 218 miles long, up to 22 miles wide, and 6,260 feet deep, putting it up there with the planet's most impressive canyons.
The discoveries are significant on their own, but the real purpose behind the research is to better understand how the West and East Antarctic ice sheets will react to rising temperatures. Human-caused climate change has made some of the continent's ice not firm, and the West Antarctic ice sheet especially has been slowly melting to the sea. If patterns continue, the coastal glaciers supporting the large ice sheets could fall down, causing sea levels to rise a minimum of 10 feet. If this happens, the canyons could be a major factor in the speed and direction of ice flow from central Antarctica to the coast.
The event isn't likely to happen in the near future, but further study o£ Antarctica's topography will allow scientists to better predict when it might.
1. Which of the following have scientists known little?| A．The shape of Antarctica ice. |
| B．The condition of Antarctica ice. |
| C．The Grand Canyon. |
| D．The beneath of Antarctica ice. |
| A．The Grand Canyon. |
| B．The mountains. |
| C．Three large canyons. |
| D．Ice sheets. |
| A．Unexpected. | B．Interesting. |
| C．Ridiculous. | D．Common. |
| A．To document the three canyons. |
| B．To find out how large the three canyons are. |
| C．To know how ice sheets react to rising temperatures. |
| D．To show the importance of the three canyons. |
Phew! I'm so glad the day is over. I'm really tired, but my first day at school went well.
First of all, we met outside the school building.I was very nervous because my primary school only had 300 pupils but in the middle school there are about 1,300.What a difference! The older pupils are really big.I felt so small waiting there in front of the school.
The head teacher came out and told us to go into the school hall.Then he called our names out to tell us which class we were in. My class teacher is called Mrs. Black. She took us to our classroom.It's on the 5th floor.We aren't allowed to use the lift! I couldn't believe it.
We spent all morning with Mrs.Black looking at our timetables.Everyone in the school had a different timetable.I'm worried that I'll forget my timetable and go to the wrong room.
Lunchtime was OK. I had salad, fish and fruit, which was quite good, and then I went to play football with some of the other boys. They were all friendly and I don't think it will take me long to make friends.
After lunch we started lessons. I had maths and then history, where we started to learn about ancient Greece.That looked interesting.I have to do some homework tonight to find out how the ancient Greek people lived, so I'm going to do an Internet search and look it up in the library.
So far so good.I am quite looking forward to tomorrow, even though I've got science. I hate science!
Yours,
Jason
1. Why did the head teacher come?
| A．To give the pupils a timetable. | B．To tell the pupils which class they were in. |
| C．To show the pupils how to use the lift. | D．To take the pupils to their classrooms. |
a．Jason looked at his timetable. b．Jason went to the school hall.
c．Jason started his lessons. d．Jason played football with some boys.
| A．c a b d | B．a c b d | C．b c a d | D．b a d c |
| A．Jason didn't realize the new school was smaller than his primary school. |
| B．Jason was lucky enough to have someone else in the same class. |
| C．Jason thought it unbelievable, for they are not allowed to use the lift. |
| D．Jason didn't think the boys were friendly when playing football. |
| A．Terrible. | B．Disappointed. | C．Worried. | D．Good. |
9 . People have different ways of dealing with a common cold. Some take over the counter medicines such as aspirin while others try popular home remedies(治疗) like herbal tea or chicken soup. Yet here is the tough truth about the common cold: nothing really cures it.
So why do people sometimes believe that their remedies work? According to James Taylor, professor at the University of Washington, colds usually go away on their own in about a week, improving a little each day after symptoms peak, so it's easy to believe it's medicine rather than time that deserves the credit, USA Today reported.
It still seems hard to believe that we can deal with more serious diseases yet are powerless against something so common as a cold. Recently, scientists came closer to figure out why. To understand it, you first need to know how antiviral drugs work. They attack the virus by attaching to and changing the surface structures of the virus. To do that, the drug must fit and lock into the virus like the right piece of a jigsaw(拼图), which means scientists have to identify the virus and build a 3D model to study its surface before they can design an antiviral drug that is effective enough.
The two cold viruses that scientists had long known about were rhinovirus(鼻病毒) A and B. But they didn't find out about the existence of a third virus, rhinovirus C, until 2006. All three of them contribute to the common cold, but drugs that work well against rhinovirus A and B have little effect when used against rhinovirus C.
''This explains most of the previous failures of drug trials against rhinoviruses,'' study leader Professor Ann C. Palmenberg at the University of Wiscons in Madison, US, told Science Daily.
Now, more than 10 years after the discovery of rhinovirus C, scientists have finally built a highly detailed 3D model of the virus, showing that the surface of the virus is, as expected, different from that of other cold viruses.
With the model in hand, hopefully a real cure for a common cold is on its way. Soon, we may no longer have to waste our money on medicines that don't really work.
1. What does the author think of popular remedies for a common cold?| A．They are quite effective. | B．They are slightly helpful. |
| C．They actually have no effect. | D．They still need to be improved. |
| A．By breaking up cold viruses directly. |
| B．By changing the surface structures of the cold viruses. |
| C．By preventing colds from developing into serious diseases. |
| D．By absorbing different kinds of cold viruses at the same time. |
| A．The surface of cold viruses looks quite similar. |
| B．Scientists have already found a cure for the common cold. |
| C．Scientists were not aware of the existence of rhinovirus C until recently. |
| D．Knowing the structure of cold viruses is the key to developing an effective cure. |
| A．Drugs against cold viruses | B．Helpful home remedies |
| C．No current cure for common cold | D．Research on cold viruses |
GETTING A GRANT Who pays? The local education authority (LEA) for the area in which the student is living. Who can get this money? Anyone who gets a place on a first degree course, although a student who has already attended a course of advanced further education may not. Students must also have been resident in the UK for at least three years, which can exclude some students from overseas. |
| SPECIAL CASES |
| If a student has worked before going to college? A student who is 26 or more before the course starts and who has worked for at least three of the previous six years will get extra money – £155 a year if 26, increasing to a maximum of £615 at 29 or more. If a student is handicapped? LEAs will give up to £500 to help meet extra expenses – such as buying a tape recorder for a blind student, extra heating or special food. Banking? Most of the big banks offer special services to students who open accounts (in the hope that they will stay with the bank when they become rich officials). A student won’t usually have to pay bank charges as long as the account stays in credit. Some banks allow students to overdraw by £100 or so, and still don’t make charges (though they do charge interest). |
1. The phrase “a grant” in the first line most probably means _____.
| A．bank interest | B．a credit card |
| C．an education fee | D．financial aid |
| A．be unable to get money from any LEA |
| B．get money if taking a first degree course |
| C．get money from LEA when finishing his course |
| D．have to open a bank account before getting money |
| A．None. | B．£155. | C．£615. | D．£515. |
