2 . When we’re studying a new language, many of us approach it with dread. If we make a mistake or say something wrong, we judge ourselves strictly. But as it turns out, however, we’d benefit by shifting (转移) our focus and worrying less about getting it right, according to Marianna Pascal, a communication skills trainer.

As a teacher who’s spent 20 years in Malaysia helping people speak better English, Pascal noticed that some students didn’t get a high language level but could still communicate very effectively. She remembers one specific student named Faisal. Despite not knowing much English, she says, “This guy could just sit and listen to anybody very calmly, clearly, and then he could respond and express his thoughts beautifully.”

She also observed some students knew quite a bit of English but struggled to make themselves understood. Pascal noticed that a lot of these students’ attitude towards English is like her daughter’s attitude towards playing the piano. Pascal says her daughter hated piano and hated practicing, because she was afraid of being wrong. To her, her success in piano was measured by how few mistakes she made.

Then she shared her experience in a cafe. The person sitting next to her was playing a game while his friends watched, and he just wasn’t a very good player. But at the same time, she saw something amazing. Even though this guy was terrible and his friends were watching him, there was no embarrassment or shyness. There was no feeling of being judged. Instead, he focused completely on the task at hand. Pascal says, “I suddenly realized that this is it. This is the same attitude that people hike Faisal have when they speak English.”

Pascal believes that speaking a language isn’t like those exams many of us had to take in grade school, where a tiny mistake would result in a big red X from the teacher, In the real world, what matters is whether we can make ourselves understood. She says, “If you want to speak English well, don’t focus on yourself but focus on the other person and the goal you want to achieve.”

1. What does the underlined word “dread” mean in paragraph 1?

A．Fear.

B．Doubt.

C．Curiosity.

D．Confidence.

2. Why does Pascal mention her daughter?

A．To provide some advice.	B．To offer some details.
C．To state a reason.	D．To present a fact.

3. What did Pascal see from the man playing a game?

A．Never minding others’ opinions.	B．Not judging a person too soon.
C．Improving through practicing.	D．Playing a game with patience.

4. What might Pascal agree with ?

A．It is important for teachers to encourage students in exams.

B．It is OK to make small mistakes in speaking a language.

C．Language has to be fluently spoken in daily life.

D．Language is an art difficult to fully master.

3 . The most-visited museums in the United States

The National Museum of Natural History

It is free of charge and is open 364 days a y year. Opening its doors in 1910, the museum has a collection of over 14646 million specimens (标本) of plants, animals, rocks, human remains, and human cultural artifacts, the largest natural history collection in the world. It is also home to about 180 professional natural history scientists who focus on the study of natural and cultural history in the world.

The National Callery of Art

Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in 1937. Its collection includes many donated works of art. The Gallery’s collection of paintings, drawings, sprints, photographs, medals, and decorative arts traces (追溯) the development of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present, including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas and the largest mobile created by Alexander Calder.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

It is the largest art museum in America. It was s founded in 1870 with its mission to bring art and art education to Americans. The museum’s collection contains works of art dating back to the ancient Near East and ancient Egypt. It includes works of art from many European Old Masters as well as many collections of American art. The museum is home to collection of musical instruments, costumes, and decorative arts.

The Museum of Modern Art

It is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The institution was conceived (构想) in 1929. It moved to several locations in its early years, and John D. Rockefeller Jr. finally donated the land for its permanent (永久的) site. The collection includes architecture, drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, artists’ books, films, and electronic media.

1. Which museum would you go to if you are curious about Western art history?

A．The National Gallery of Art.	B．The Museum of Modern Art.
C．The Metropolitan Museum of Art.	D．The National Museum of Natural History.

2. Why did people build the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1870?

A．To store works of art of different countries.	B．To satisfy people’s thirst for museums.
C．To make Americans learn about art.	D．To document American history.

3. What do we know about the Museum of Modern Art?

A．It once changed locations for several times.	B．It was recommended by John D. Rockefeller
C．It has historical and natural collections.	D．It was founded in Midtown Manhattan in 1929.

4 . I often hear kids say, “I’m not a math person” or “I’m just not good at math.” These statements reflect what’s called a “fixed mindset”, which is often associated with a sense of discouragement, powerlessness and inability to improve one’s situation. A fixed mindset is extremely common in math classrooms, but with the help of teachers, students can adopt a “growth mindset”.

This means believing in their potential to acquire the skills and knowledge. In strong, productive teacher-student relationships, teachers nurture (培养) growth mindsets. And there are some key steps in building these relationships, starting with giving instruction that meets the skill levels of individual students. Besides, it’s important to give students social and emotional support, so they could develop social awareness self-management, decision-making and relationship skills.

How could teachers do these among class prep and grading duties? I believe in applying educational technologies. With the right tools, teachers can skillfully manage to individualize instruction and meet social-emotional needs.

Razzaq, a math teacher at Doherty High School, has students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, and some were still learning English alongside math. The school once placed a student in her class, who hadn’t been in formal school since third grade. Students have different levels and social-emotional needs that demand attention from teachers. Sometimes they’re not aware or communicative of the areas in which they need help. Razzaq gives tests with the help of some educational platforms, which generate reports that summarize individual weak points. Then Razzaq could give instructions suiting their academic situations, making productive use of class time. She also uses technologies that provide insights into social-emotional experiences such as attentiveness and time management. The data enables her to initiate conversations that make a difference in students’ education.

More importantly, we need to examine our approach to education. Are we creating an environment where children can develop healthily? How are we satisfying the needs of our future generations? Only by knowing our vision can we decide the technology to complete the picture.

1. Which of the following problems do students often have about learning math according to the text?

A．Personal interest.	B．Low confidence.
C．Poor self-control.	D．Poor learning ability.

2. How does the author show the role of educational technologies?

A．By giving an example.	B．By conducting research.
C．By analyzing statistical data.	D．By making some comparisons.

3. What can we learn about the educational platforms mentioned in the text?

A．They encourage students to communicate.

B．They provide suggestions on math teaching.

C．They correct the mistakes students make in tests.

D．They give information about students’ learning situation .

4. What is the author probably?

A．A technician.	B．A psychologist.
C．An educationist.	D．A mathematician.

8 . Gratitude is beneficial to both the one giving and the one receiving.     1     It can be as simple as getting up in the morning and acknowledging that you woke up—not everyone has that benefit.

Instead of getting mad at others, show them gratitude. Make an effort to communicate more effectively instead of being critical. When you are having a hard day at work, take a break and remember some of the good days that you’ve had that month.     2    

Research shows that people who express gratitude have a more positive outlook on life, better health and less stress: they are more likely to forgive; and they have stronger relationships.     3     Having a gratitude jar reminds us of the feeling we felt when we were “in the moment”. It allows us to be more mindful and present.

To make a gratitude jar, find a decorative vase or fish bowl and start recording all of your happy memories and events throughout the year. Keep some decorative paper close so that you can jot (草草记下) these memories down and place them in the jar.     4     And you can remember all of the good time that you have had throughout the year.

    5     Be specific when you reflect back on your memories so that you won’t forget any important details. If possible, be personal and include names when writing down your entries (条目).

A．You shouldn’t be too critical.

B．Don’t forget that it is only a bad day, not a bad life.

C．Be creative when writing down what you are grateful for.

D．There are many reasons for which to express your gratitude.

E．Don’t forget life’s surprises: unexpected events, visitors, etc.

F．Instead of using a gratitude journal, I started using a gratitude jar.

G．When you are having a bad day, you can reach into your gratitude jar.

9 . 阅读短文，用英文填空或回答问题 (请注意每小题的词数要求)。

There are two important teachers in this world. One is the nature. It was considered to be the best teacher in the old days, because man learned a lot from nature like lighting the fire and growing rice. It also provides man with many necessary things for life, such as water, food and so on.

Hu, 31, is a pioneer in nature education. He set up an organization five years ago. It offers nature-based programs to children under 12 years old, including many outdoor activities, such as planting trees and watching birds.

“Nature is friendly to us if we protect her. And don’t forget that we all are part of nature,” He said. The purpose of nature education is to teach people how to understand, respect (尊重) and get on well with nature.

Here comes the other important teacher — a book. The experiences people learned from nature were written down in the form of a book. This was a step forward because man could record their experiences and thoughts.

Books play an important role in our lives. Su Mingjuan, a girl from a poor family in a small village, has finished college and become a good bank clerk. She volunteers to encourage people to read more. She said, “Without reading books, I can’t have such a wonderful life.” Besides Su, millions of people learn from books and have better lives. Some people ever said, “A book is like a garden carried in the pocket (口袋).”

1. The passage mainly talks about _______________________________(10个词以内)
2. According to Paragraph 1, nature teaches us some skills like _______________________________(列举两项，10个词以内)
3. Hu works on nature education to help people ______________________________(10个词以内)
4. How did people record their experiences and thoughts in Paragraph 4? (10个词以内)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What can you learn from Su Mingjuan’s story? (20个词以内)
____________________________________________________________________________________________