1 . When my three-year-old cousin didn’t get his way and hit his mother in anger, there were immediate consequences (后果): his father calmly and firmly made it clear that this behaviour was unacceptable, and he had to apologise. Then, he lost the honor of playing with his Christmas toys for the rest of the day.
The most important goal of discipline (管教) is teaching children and teenagers self-management and responsible decision-making. It is not about control but instead using positive discipline. When children know what will happen, they can make choices. Parents benefit, too, from having a plan of how they will respond to specific behaviour rather than reacting in anger.
Taking responsibility and repairing harm by making changes is a powerful consequence that teaches young people about the impacts of their behaviour on others. If an older child has hurt a friend’s feelings, coaching them in talking it through and apologising.
| A．Sometimes, a discussion is needed. |
| B．This was a painful experience for the little boy! |
| C．It can be useless to focus on fixing the problem. |
| D．Therefore, it is very important that parents stay calm. |
| E．Typically, consequences can be thought of in three categories. |
| F．Those who were harmed feel heard, and relationships are repaired. |
| G．Overall, positive discipline aims to help children become responsible, independent, and kind. |
2 . Across the country, October is National Financial Planning Month, a time when you might want to look back on your retirement statement or rethink investments (投资) for the new year. The month also serves as a good reminder to teach the ones you love a thing or two about money basics. Whether it’s explaining the value of a dollar or delayed enjoyment for a beloved toy, you can explain to children where money comes from, how best to keep it, and the ways that you can use well-earned cash to shape the world we live in.
Financial literacy, simply put, is the know-how to prepare, track expenses, save, plan for retirement, and manage debt. Money-saving expert Andrea Woroch says it’s never too early to start talking about finances, and it can be as simple as taking them shopping or doing everyday tasks around the house. “Your children learn from your habits and the way you spend or save and even talk about money will shape how your children manage money in the future, even if you don’t realize it,” says Woroch.
Most people think that the easiest way to teach their kids about money is to let them watch what they do — from the convenience store to online shopping. But the right way is to practice being a role model of what you hope they (and you) would do when faced with money problems or opportunities.
Woroch says including kids in setting up a budget (预算) for an upcoming event can be a great learning experience. When you have to make a budget cut, think before you complain. Watch how you talk about sacrificing (牺牲) short-term pleasure for long-term gain.
If your family is doing well despite economic downturn, you can teach your kids to appreciate what they have and encourage them to help others in need. Ramirez, a senior advisor at Tend, suggests that parents “increase children’s awareness about how money can benefit others, not just themselves, by encouraging them to raise money for a cause.” This is also a great way to develop their social awareness.
1. Why should kids have financial literacy?| A．To avoid debts. | B．To obtain happiness. |
| C．To become experts. | D．To form a smart view towards money. |
| A．Setting a good example. | B．Opening an online store. |
| C．Asking them to shop alone. | D．Making them solve money issues. |
| A．Parents praise children’s efforts. | B．Parents donate money for charity. |
| C．Children save money for a cause. | D．Children make money by themselves. |
I offer to pay you $200 in one year if you give me $190 today. Good deal or bad deal? It’s the kind of math problem you might encounter in real life,
A survey in 2022 funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation found that 61 percent of parents of students said math education should be “relevant to the real world”
Harvard has a personal finance course in the
In most high schools, personal finance classes are light on math, and math classes are
There is a
In conclusion, the integration of math and personal finance in education is not just an academic pursuit, but a
| A．similar to | B．as opposed to | C．compared with | D．coupled with |
| A．lifting | B．lowering | C．forgetting | D．struggling |
| A．awful | B．forced | C．perfect | D．temporary |
| A．apply to | B．pass down | C．identify with | D．kick off |
| A．for | B．but | C．and | D．so |
| A．breathing | B．rolling | C．quoting | D．introducing |
| A．politics | B．economics | C．mathematics | D．physics |
| A．Traditionally | B．Constantly | C．Frequently | D．Thankfully |
| A．restore | B．recover | C．reconsider | D．retell |
| A．lacking | B．sufficient | C．absent | D．present |
| A．depressing | B．amazing | C．challenging | D．motivating |
| A．combination | B．separation | C．application | D．publication |
| A．regional | B．local | C．national | D．individual |
| A．learn | B．increase | C．examine | D．manage |
| A．practical | B．regrettable | C．miserable | D．relaxing |
4 . The University of Birmingham is the first excellent UK Russell Group university to announce that it will accept the “Gaokao” exam for high-flying Chinese students wishing to join its undergraduate courses in 2019. High school students who complete the “National Higher Education Entrance Examination”, or Gaokao, with top grades will be able to apply for direct entry onto Birmingham degree programmes without first completing a foundation year which is a routine for the freshman.
University of Birmingham Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir David Eastwood said: “The University of Birmingham has been challenging and developing great minds for more than a century. We welcome people from around the globe to study at Birmingham and Chinese students form an integral part of our education and research community. We are further opening access to Birmingham’s wealth of education opportunities for the brightest and most dedicated Chinese students by accepting this strict and important qualification. I look forward to welcoming these high-flying students to the University of Birmingham.”
Gaokao is increasingly accepted by universities in Australia, the USA, Canada and mainland Europe. Birmingham will only be considering high quality students who achieve a minimum 80% Gaokao score and meet additional academic and English language requirements.
Professor J on Frampton, Director of the University of Birmingham’s China Institute said: “The University of Birmingham has a long history of educating students from China and one of our most famous graduates is Li Siguang — the founding father of Chinese geology. I am delighted that the University is now accepting the Gaokao. This gives the brightest and best Chinese students an opportunity to move straight into the first year of our undergraduate programmes and experience the benefits of studying at a global Top 100 university, such as Birmingham.”
1. What do Chinese students have to do to enter the University of Birmingham before 2019?| A．Go through a foundation year. |
| B．Prepare Birmingham degree programmers. |
| C．Get the right to permanent residency. |
| D．Score over 800% of the university’s qualification examination. |
| A．The foreign students in China. | B．All people living in the UK. |
| C．The students of the UK. | D．Chinese students. |
| A．Negative. | B．Supportive. | C．Indifferent. | D．Neutral. |
| A．The introduction to the “Gaokao” of China. |
| B．The history of the University of Birmingham. |
| C．The high-quality students accepted by top universities. |
| D．The University of Birmingham’s acceptance of Gaokao. |
5 . This year, the Music Educator Award, presented by the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum, went to Annie Ray, the performing arts department chair and orchestra director at Annandale High School in Fairfax County, Virginia. She attended the awards ceremony in Los Angeles and brought home both a $10,000 prize and matching grant （资助） for her school’s music program.
Ray created the Crescendo Orchestra for students with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as a parent orchestra that teaches nearly 200 caregivers a year to play the same instrument as their children. She got the idea mostly from the Annandale community, which she says represents over 60 countries, including many refugees and immigrants. “There’re many cultures that might typically clash, but they come together in this very beautiful harmony,” Ray explained. “And that’s really uniquely expressed in the orchestra classroom, where we’re just all music-ing together.”
Ray says the Crescendo Orchestra is focused on teaching students how to play an instrument, through one-on-one instruction tailored to their needs. The orchestra is about much more than just making music, however. “I really push my students to be brave and go outside of their comfort zone. We have to learn how to work together with others,” she says.
Ray, who comes from a family of musicians and has played the harp （竖琴） since the age of five, knows firsthand the impact that a great teacher can make on their students. “Why I am where I am is because a teacher changed my life and made me want to be a music educator,” she says.
Ray says her warm reception on the awards ceremony is especially meaningful because not many people understand what exactly music educators do in the classroom or how much their work matters. She says that lack of understanding is one of the biggest challenges facing the profession in general. Moreover, she says her school desperately needs new instruments, and adds that she’ll use some of her grant money to buy more.
1. What mainly inspired Ray to create the Crescendo Orchestra?| A．The effect of some caregivers. | B．The diversity of a community. |
| C．The harmony of the disabled. | D．The rich culture of her school. |
| A．Who are influenced by music. | B．How the Crescendo Orchestra develops. |
| C．What students can learn. | D．Why students need special instruction. |
| A．She funded some students. | B．She fought against her family. |
| C．She began learning the harp. | D．She chose to be a music educator. |
| A．Music education needs to be appreciated. | B．She badly wants donations for instruments. |
| C．The administration offers no support. | D．She is often challenged by musicians. |
6 . Many American education experts say tutoring (辅导) is the best way to help students make up for learning loss during the pandemic. Although many schools have received a lot of government aid, only a small number of students have been getting tutored.
Chalkbeat and the Associated Press surveyed 12 of the nation’s school systems. The schools reported that fewer than 10 percent of students received any kind of tutoring in the fall of last year. A new tutoring group in Chicago served about three percent of students. But less than one percent of students in three big school systems received tutoring.
The low tutoring numbers suggest several problems. Some parents said they did not know tutoring was available or did not think their child needed it. Some school systems have struggled to hire tutors. Other school systems said their small tutoring programs were part of their efforts to meet students’ needs.
Whatever the reason, the result is clear: at an important time for students’ recovery, millions of children have not received the extra help.
“It works, it’s effective, it gets students to improve in their learning and catch up,” said Amie Rapaport, a researcher studying why so many students are not getting intensive tutoring.
Schools trying to increase tutoring face problems, including hiring and planning. Experts say tutoring is most effective when provided three times a week for at least 30 minutes during school hours. Offering after-school or weekend tutoring is simpler, but attendance is often low.
Low family interest has been another problem. Although test scores sharply dropped during the pandemic, many parents do not believe their children experienced learning loss.
In Wake County, North Carolina, the school district began planning a reading tutoring program in November. District officials last month said volunteers are tutoring fewer than 140 students. That is far fewer than the 1,000 students the program was designed to help. Many worry that not enough students are getting the help they need even as programs continue to grow.
1. What is known from the first two paragraphs?| A．Fewer students than expected received tutoring. |
| B．Learning loss is the biggest concern for students. |
| C．The survey covered 12 school systems all over the world. |
| D．Big school systems did a better job in tutoring than small ones. |
| A．The ways to increase tutoring. |
| B．The challenges facing some school systems. |
| C．The responses to the low tutoring numbers. |
| D．The causes of the situation of tutoring. |
| A．Opposed. | B．Supportive. | C．Tolerant. | D．Unclear. |
| A．After-school tutoring programs are not enough. |
| B．Students are busy with their schoolwork. |
| C．Families attach little importance to tutoring. |
| D．There is a lack of volunteers. |
7 . The ranking of universities and colleges at the national global level is a well-known doubtful practice. Imperfect approaches generate inaccurate results of these institutions. Nowadays, prestigious (有威望的) law and medical schools have started to walk away from this “evaluation”.
There are two obvious methodological problems with all of this. One is that the numerical rankings suffer from false precision. Is there really a difference between No.10 and No.11 in the undergraduate (本科生) school rankings? Johns Hopkins University famously had a plan called“10 by 20”with the goal of getting to No.10 by 2020. Hopkins is a great undergraduate institution — whether it’s No.10 or No.11 is meaningless, but it did indeed make it into the top 10 ahead of schedule, which no doubt delighted its trustees and students.
The other methodological problem is that rankings reward those schools that promote measurements by admitting students who have had the advantages of better pre-college education and test preparation coaching, and whose wealth will make them likely future donors. Equally worthy applicants without such resources will fail to enter the schools.
The good news is that in recent months, a reckoning (清算) has begun. Last September, Columbia University chose not to participate in the undergraduate rankings after an enterprising professor discovered that the school was fudging its own numbers. If Columbia’s data were corrected, it would drop from No. 2 to No. 18. Two months later, law schools began pushing back. Yale and Harvard Law Schools announced that they would refuse to provide data to U. S. News, and several outstanding law schools followed suit.
This resistance to rankings has now begun in the world of science. This is a great sign. In announcing its decision, the dean of Washington University’s medical school said, “…it is time to stop participating in a system that does not serve our students or their future patients.”
1. Why does the author mention Johns Hopkins University?| A．To share an experience. | B．To give specific example. |
| C．To make a detailed comparison. | D．To illustrate a complicated concept. |
| A．Its data was not based on facts. |
| B．It was left behind by other universities. |
| C．It didn’t think the system served their students. |
| D．Other universities chose to refuse to participate in the rankings. |
| A．Objective. | B．Indifferent. | C．Supportive. | D．Opposed. |
| A．Resistance to Educational Rankings |
| B．The Ranking of Universities and Colleges |
| C．Educational Rankings: Scientific or Imperfect |
| D．Reasons for Universities’ Refusal of Rankings |
8 . Have you ever considered buying or moving to a farm? Did you know that children farming and raising animals builds character?
You needn’t worry about your child spending all day inside playing video games.
When a child grows up on a farm, they learn the responsibility of caring for crops or animals. They discover how to understand and feel compassionate toward something that can’t communicate its feelings.
By growing up on a farm, your child learns about responsibility. They learn that they have duty and that they can enjoy their free time when those jobs are done.
Kids who grow up on a farm have a good knowledge of their environment in a way most others never will. They learn how to grow plants and raise animals. They can diagnose problems and come up with solutions. They understand how to use farming equipment and how to work with the weather instead of against it. Those skills open the door to allowing your child to live and thrive anywhere they want.
| A．Survival skills |
| B．The value of teamwork |
| C．Here are some benefits of raising children on a farm |
| D．This is a quality that will help them in any social situation |
| E．And they get the opportunity to see the fruits of their labor |
| F．It’s never too early to start thinking about your child’s future |
| G．Instead, your child will be out on the farm working with plants or animals |
1. Who read to the girls?
| A．The woman. | B．Only the man. | C．The man and his wife. |
| A．At five. | B．At six. | C．At seven. |
| A．Read a lot. | B．Do whatever he likes. | C．Learn from the man’s daughters. |
10 . Parenting styles have shifted over the years with the rapid changes in the world. Nowadays parents generally spend more time in finding out how best to raise their child whether it’s through technology or tried-and-tested parenting practices.
With easy access to countless websites and social media groups interested in parenting, modern parents are capable of finding answers to their questions, from managing a baby’s cries to communicating with a moody teenager. This increased availability (可利用性) of resources has made parents more involved in their children’s academic, emotional, and social development. They are also more eager to find out effective parenting methods to help them raise well-behaved and confident children.
A modern parenting style that has appeared is helicopter parenting, where parents are too much focused on their children. They help children with tasks that children can do on their own, like selecting activities and friends for them, or calling their teachers about homework matters. Such a parenting style can stifle the development of the children’s ability to handle responsibilities independently. Children might be ill-equipped with life skills such as making the bed, clearing their plates or doing their schoolwork. Always protecting children from failures may also stop them from developing adaptability and gaining skills like problem-solving.
On the other hand, parents in the past tended to monitor less. Children were given more freedom to manage their schoolwork and choose the friends they want to play with. In some families, children of the past were often expected to shoulder the responsibilities of caring for younger brothers and sisters and managing housework. Living in the pre-Internet era, parents were less informed about different parenting methods, and their parenting styles were guided more by their personalities, common sense and friendly advice from their parents and neighbours, rather than by social media influences or parenting websites. There is no one right way to raise a child. Each child is unique and should be raised differently by parents who are present, but not wandering; who are supportive but not controlling; and who protect but not care too much.
1. How does the increased availability of resources influence parenting style?| A．It saves parents’ much time spent on children. |
| B．It makes parents more relaxed in raising children. |
| C．It encourages parents to be less strict with their children. |
| D．It enables parents to be more active in their children’s development. |
| A．Bring about. | B．Hold back. | C．Take down. | D．Set up. |
| A．They educated kids in a strict way. |
| B．They over-judged their kids’ independence. |
| C．They afforded kids more space for self-growth. |
| D．They tended to stay away from social activities. |
| A．How parents raise all-round children. |
| B．How people improve parent-child relationship. |
| C．How parenting modes have changed over the years. |
| D．How information technology affects people’s lifestyles. |
