Han Jing is a senior high school student now. On the first day, she felt anxious and was not sure if she could make a good first
In the 1950s, the Egyptian government wanted
A committee
Over the next 20 years, thousands of engineers and workers rescued 22 temples and
3 . My First Day at Senior High
My name is Li Kang. I live in Shijiazhuang, a city not far from Beijing. It is the capital city of Hebei Province. Today is my first day at Senior High school and I’m writing down my thoughts about it.
My new school is very good and I can see why. The teachers are very enthusiastic and friendly and the classrooms are amazing. Every room has a computer with a special screen, almost as big as a cinema screen. The teachers write on the computer, and their words appear on the screen behind them. The screens also show photographs, text and information from websites. They’re brilliant!
The English class is really interesting. The teacher is a very enthusiastic woman called Ms Shen. We’re using a new textbook and Ms Shen’s method of teaching is nothing like that of the teachers at my Junior High school. She think that reading comprehension is important, but we speak a lot in class, too. And we have fun. I don’t think I will be bored in Ms Shen’s class!
Today we introduced ourselves to each other. We did this in groups. Some students were embarrassed at first but everyone was very friendly and it was really nice. Ms Shen gave us instructions and then we worked by ourselves.
Ms Shen wants to help us improve our spelling and handwriting. We do this in a fun way, with spelling games and other activities. I like her attitude very much, and the behaviour of the other student shows that they like her, too.
There are sixty-five students in my class—more than my previous class in Junior High. Forty-nine of them are girls. In other words, there are three times as many girls as boys. They say that girls are usually more hard-working than boys. But in this class, everyone is hard-working. For our homework tonight, we have to write a description of the street where we live. I’m looking forward to doing it!
1. All of the following are reasons why we like Ms Shen except that________.| A．She is a very enthusiastic woman with a new teaching method. |
| B．We speak a lot and have fun in her English class . |
| C．She helps us improve our spelling and handwriting in a fun way. |
| D．She is beautiful and often plays games with us. |
| A．There are more girls than boys in the class. |
| B．There is a computer with a special screen in the classroom. |
| C．We can watch TV in the classroom. |
| D．All the students are hard-working. |
| A．Excited and nervous. | B．Anxious and frightened. |
| C．Interested and cheerful. | D．Disappointed and uneasy. |
THE MAN WHO CHANGED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIVERSE
Albert Einstein, who is perhaps the greatest scientist in modern physics, is often considered one of the smartest men who ever lived. He made numerous contributions to the world, the most well-known being the general theory of relativity and the famous formula E=mc². Einstein was not only a genius; he was a courageous and kind figure loved by many people.
This gentle genius was born in Germany on 14 March 1879. When he was 16, he tried to enter university in Switzerland, but failed due to his low scores in the general part of the entrance exam, despite obtaining exceptional scores in maths and physics. After studying for another year, he managed to pass the exam, entering university in 1896 and graduating in 1900.
After two years of looking for work as a teacher, Einstein took a job as a clerk in the Swiss patent office. While working there, out of a strong passion for knowledge, he continued to study, earning a doctorate in physics in 1905. That same year, which was later recorded as a miracle year in science, he published four extraordinary physics papers. Following this, he gradually became famous throughout the world as the new Isaac Newton. After four years, he was able to quit his job at the patent office and enter research full-time at a university. In 1922, he was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
Circumstances changed in 1933, when Hitler came to power in Germany. Einstein, who was Jewish, found the doors of academic institutions closed to him. As a consequence, he had to flee Germany. After spending time in Europe, he finally took up a position as a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, USA. Following that, he continued to make great achievements in physics and mathematics.
To the public, he was seen as a slightly odd-looking but kind and funny man. He had a thick moustache and long white hair, which sometimes stood on end as though he had just received an electric shock. Although he was a genius, he sometimes forgot things, like his friends’ birthdays. But despite his peculiarities, he was loved by his friends and neighbors. There is even a story about how he helped a little girl who knocked on his door and asked for help with her homework. In fact, Einstein often encountered people on the street who would stop him and ask him to help explain things. After many such occasions, he finally started saying, “Pardon me! Sorry! Always I am mistaken for Professor Einstein!”
On 18 April 1955, it was reported that Einstein had passed away, and the whole world mourned the great loss of a brilliant scientist.
1. What subjects did Albert Einstein like best in middle school?| A．Politics and geography. | B．Physics and maths. |
| C．English and art. | D．Chemistry and history. |
| A．In 1902. | B．In 1904. |
| C．In 1905. | D．In 1906. |
| A．Because of his explanation of the photoelectric effect. |
| B．Because of his courageous and kind character. |
| C．Because of his strong passion for knowledge. |
| D．Because of his fulltime research at a university. |
| A．He came to power in Germany. |
| B．He was forced to leave Germany. |
| C．He moved to Europe for his degree. |
| D．He refused to work as a researcher in the US. |
When it comes to online
On 27 December 2004, a tsunami caused by the
Dr. Richard Fairhurst,
When Han Jing was a senior student
Having had
All day long, Han Jing didn’t feel awkward and
HOW DO I KNOW MY STUDENTS?
As an educator, people often ask me how I know what is going on in the minds of my students. Many students are quite shy and don't speak all that much. At the same time, in a classroom of more than forty students, it is hard to have many oneonone conversations with each person. So, how can I really know what makes each student tick?
My answer? I look at their body language.
It is easy to recognise when students are interested in a lesson. Most tend to look up and make eye contact. When I make a joke, they smile. When I talk about something difficult, they look confused. I know when students are really interested, however, because they lean forward and look at me. People have a tendency to lean towards whatever they are interested in. So if a student has his head lowered to look at his watch, it implies he is bored and just counting the minutes for the class to end. If two friends are leaning their heads together, they are probably writing notes to each other. Of course, not everyone who looks up is paying attention in class. Some students look up, but there is an absence of eye contact. Their eyes barely move, and they always have the same distant expression on their faces. It is as though they are asleep with their eyes open.
Some students are amused by something else. They spend all their time looking anywhere but at me. Then again, some students' favourite activity is daydreaming. With their chins on their hands, they occupy themselves by staring out of the window or up at the ceiling. They are certainly interested in something, but who knows what. The main thing is reminding distracted students that they need to pay attention in class.
While it is easy to perceive when students are interested, bored, or distracted, it is sometimes much harder to distinguish when students are troubled. Students who are angry, afraid, or experiencing anxiety may have their arms crossed in front of their chests and their legs closed or crossed, like they are guarding their bodies. Students who are sad or worried will nearly always wear a frown. They may also hide their faces in their hands like they are embarrassed or ashamed. Some students act this way merel ybecause they are afraid of being called on by the teacher. However, if a student does not bother to brush her hair and her eyes are red from weeping, then I can infer that there are deeper issues at work. It could be that she is having serious conflicts with other students or at home. Whatever it is, I know I need to inquire and assess what is going on.
Ultimately, my duty is helping every student to learn. Their body language lets me know when to adjust class activities, when to intervene, and when to talk to students individually, so they can get the most out of school. Reacting to body language is an important component of being a teacher.
1. How can the writer know what makes each student tick?| A．By having oneonone conversations with each person. |
| B．By talking with some students. |
| C．By observing students' body language. |
| D．By asking them to write a letter to the teacher. |
| A．look up and make eye contact |
| B．lean forward and look at the teacher |
| C．lower their heads and look at their watches |
| D．smile when the teacher makes a joke |
| A．happy | B．excited | C．shocked | D．angry |
| A．A social magazine. | B．A science book. |
| C．A research report. | D．A health magazine. |
My first day at senior high
Monday 4 September
After I had pictured it over and over again in my mind, the big day finally arrived: my first day at senior high! I woke up early and rushed out of the door in my eagerness to get to know my new school.
The campus was still quiet when I arrived, so I decided to explore a bit. I was looking at the photos on the noticeboard when I heard a voice behind me. “New here?” Turing around, I saw a white-haired man. “Yes,” I replied. “I’m wondering what life is going to be like here.” “Don’t worry,” he gave me a smile. “You’ll soon find out.”
How true these words were! When my English teacher stepped into the classroom, I was surprised to see the same man I had met earlier.
“Good morning, everyone. Before we start, please come to the front one by one and introduce yourself to the class. I’ll go first…”
“What?!” I tried to turn on my brain but the engine just wouldn’t start. “I should say my name, of course. But what else? What could I say to make a good first impression? Something about my insect collection, perhaps.” I was organizing my words in my head when the girl next to me gave me a nudge. “It’s your turn!”
With butterflies in my stomach, I breathed deeply. “Hi, I’m Meng Hao.” Everyone started laughing. I looked at them in panic. “Nice to know we share the same name,” said my new teacher. I had been too nervous to pay attention when he introduced himself! Although I was embarrassed, his words made me a lot more relaxed!
When we had all introduced ourselves, Mr Meng said, “Well done, everyone! I know this isn’t easy for many of you. But this is just the kind of thing you are going to face at senior high. Challenges like this might sometimes put you under pressure. But it all depends on what you do. Keep calm and be prepared. That way, you’ll make the most of your time at senior high.”
People say, “Well begun, half done.” I guess this was a good beginning to my new school life.
1. What’s mainly talked about in the passage?| A．A new English teacher. |
| B．How to do self－introduction. |
| C．A good beginning to the new school life. |
| D．How to face challenges at school. |
| A．Because he was told to do so by the school. |
| B．Because he wanted to explore it a bit. |
| C．Because he was very eager to get to know his new school. |
| D．Because his photo was on the noticeboard. |
| A．His new teacher’s speech. |
| B．His new classroom. |
| C．His English teacher. |
| D．His new classmates. |
| A．Actively. | B．Coldly. |
| C．Tiredly. | D．Nervously. |
| A．Doing self-introduction. |
| B．Doing homework. |
| C．Playing with butterflies. |
| D．Getting along with new classmates. |
