2 . I often wonder how people can get so angry, so deep in their own belief that they become deaf to anything that may differ from their beliefs. I've often been told that I'm too open-minded, listening to others' viewpoints so openly that they become my own. Maybe that comes from my practice of actively listening to others. It means that I do really hear them instead of responding only out of politeness. Maybe it's because I was brought up by parents who didn't necessarily speak to me about respecting others but modeled it for me through their own actions. They treated everyone equally, from what I remember, never looking down upon others because they were different from us.

As I raise my daughters, I try my best to show them love and understanding in all situations. When they misbehave, talk back, or break the rules, I'll lovingly analyze the reasons behind their behaviour. I'll be tolerant (宽容的) towards their differing opinions and become open and curious about their ideas. And I'll be mindful of how I treat and speak to others, showing equal respect to everyone.

My expectation is that if I show my daughters unconditional love and acceptance, they'll learn to show the same love to others. I hope that they will not see difference as a threat, but as a way to add richness to their very existence. It's beautiful to live in a world filled with so many differences.

So, as I write this, welcoming my second daughter to my family, I'm fully aware that change begins with how I act and what decisions I make. Every generation carries its own set of problems. All we have control over is how we respond to those problems. This is what I will teach my girls: how to control their own emotional world; how to hold onto love as well as their beliefs and values; how to remember that hate and anger are never the answer and that tolerance and love will always take them further in life.

1. What makes the author different from other people?

A．Her deep understanding of belief.	B．Her negative views on social politeness.
C．Her reaction to different opinions.	D．Her confusing attitude towards her parents.

2. What does the author intend to do as for raising her kids?

A．Encourage them to have different opinions.

B．Set them an example of love and acceptance.

C．Punish them heavily for their bad behaviors.

D．Teach them some useful conversation skills.

3. What does Paragraph 3 imply?

A．Love me, love my dog.	B．Don't put the cart before the horse.
C．Nothing seek, nothing find.	D．Music with different tones sounds beautiful.

4. What can be the best title for this text?

A．The Importance of Love and Tolerance	B．The Art of Social Communication
C．The Ways to Effectively Listen to others	D．The Positive Attitude towards Hate and Anger

4 . I go out of my way to say “thank you” to my partner frequently, and he’s the same way.We were both raised by parents who valued politeness, and more than that, I want to do all those little things that psychologists say help couples stay together. Expressing gratitude (感谢) is one of those things, so a quick “thanks” seems like an easy one.

But according to a recent study, we’re not at all typical. The study looked at over l,000 recordings of casual conversations among families and close friends.In only about one out of 20 times were expressions of thanks observed. Phrases that meant “thanks” but weren’t a direct translation of the word were counted, including physical gestures of thanks.

The researchers looked at a wide variety of people from different places, representing eight languages: Polish, Russian, Italy, English, Murrinh-patha (an Aboriginal language), Cha’palaa, Lao and Siwu.

The Brits thanked people close to them the most, about 14.5 percent of the time, and close behind them were the Italians at 13.5 percent. The Murrinh-patha came next at 4.5 percent and following them were the Russians, the Polish, the Laotians and the Siwu speakers.The lowest? Well, the Cha’palaa speakers of Ecuador don’t have a word for “thank you” at all.

As the linguists explained, “Expressing thanks, in some cultures, is more of a linguistic tradition than a true expression of feelings.In cultures where thanks are less often said, it’s because social cooperation is taken for granted, and ‘thank you’ isn’t really needed or necessary.”

The idea that you don’t need to thank others because it’s assumed that you’re appreciative is beautiful. But it is a bit hard for me to accept. So I’ll keep saying “thanks” as frequently as I do. But as a frequent traveler, I’ll keep in mind to watch the local custom and follow suit.

1. What might be psychologists’ opinion about expressing thank?

A．It can show a person’s values.

B．It is passed down from parents.

C．It is a little and unnecessary thing.

D．It can contribute to close relationship.

2. What is typical among family members according to the study?

A．They say thanks at any time.

B．They seldom express thanks.

C．They often show thanks using gestures.

D．They often use indirect translation of thanks.

3. Who never say “thank you”?

A．The Cha’palaa.	B．The Polish.
C．The Italians.	D．The Russians.

4. What is mainly talked about in the text?

A．People thank close friends and family less.

B．Family members don’t need to thank each other.

C．Close friends have different ways to express thanks.

D．Different cultures have different ways to express thanks.

5 . Kids love to go online. There is so much to explore and learn.     1     The answer to the question is as difficult as determining at what age a child can be left at home by themselves, since all children are different. Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine what is right for your child.

    2    

Of course when you are trying to determine if you can let him or her go online, your child has probably already said, “I’m ready; I can handle it.” But are they?     3     How would they handle the material if they ran across it by accident?

    4    

Does your child question other people’s actions? Do they easily believe anything that is presented to them? It is an important question to ask to determine if your child is ready to go online alone.

Have you taught them what the dangers are?

    5    . Have you explained to them that there are people out there that might want to do them harm? It is a dangerous world out there. If you are going to let them wander around in the online world, they need to be prepared for what they might see or run into.

A．You may be thinking this is a strange question to ask yourself.

B．Is your child easy to cheat?

C．There are a lot of dangers online.

D．Are they ready to go online by themselves?

E．Is your child skilled in using a computer?

F．Unfortunately there is a lot of unpleasant material online.

G．At what age should you allow your child to go online alone?

6 . When your child lies to you, it hurts. As parents, it makes us angry and we take it personally. We feel like we can never trust our child again. Why does lying cause such anger, pain and worry for parents?

Parents are understandably very afraid of their children getting hurt and getting into trouble, but they have very little protection against these things as they send their kids out into the word. Kids learn from other kids and from external media, and this makes parents feel unsafe because they can’t control the information and ideas that their children are exposed to.

When your kid lies, you start to see him as “sneaky（卑鄙的）”, especially if he continues to lie to you. You feel that he’s going behind your back. You begin to think that your kids are “bad”. Because, certainly, if lying is bad, liars are bad. It’s just that simple. Parents need to make their kids responsible for lying. But the mistake parents make is that they start to blame the kid for lying. It’s considered immoral to lie. But when you look at your kid like he’s a sneak, it’s a slippery slope （滑坡谬误）that starts with “You lie” and ends up at “You’re a bad person”.

Kids know lying is forbidden. But they don’t see it as hurtful. So a kid will say, “I know it’s wrong that I eat a sugar snack when I’m not supposed to. But who does it hurt?” “I know it’s wrong that I trade my dried fruit for a Twinkie. But it doesn’t really hurt anybody. I can handle it. What’s the big deal?” That’s what the kid sees.

So I think that parents have to assume that kids are going to tell them lies, because they’re immature and they don’t understand how hurtful these things are. They’re all drawn to excitement, and they’ll all have a tendency to distort(歪曲) the truth because they’re kids.

1. Why do parents worry about their kids and feel unsafe?

A．Nobody trusts their kids in the world because of lying.

B．Lying always causes their kids to get hurt or get into trouble.

C．Their kids are exposed to outside world without their control.

D．They can’t protect their kids from other kids and external media.

2. What’s the author’s attitude towards parents’ seeing kids as bad if they lie?

A．Immoral.	B．Negative.
C．Supportive.	D．Different.

3. The underlined word “they” really refers to ________.

A．parents	B．their children
C．other kids	D．bad things

4. How do parents react to kids’ lying?

A．Taking no notice of it.

B．Blaming them immediately.

C．Pretending to be angry and educate them.

D．Accept it but make them responsible for it.

7 . One evening, author Neil’s son was angry. Neil had said one of those things that parents say, like “isn’t it time you were in bed.” His son looked up at him, angry and said, “I wish I didn’t have a dad! I wish I had … a goldfish!” That conversation gave birth to Neil’s book, “The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish”. The book is a funny adventure of a son searching for the dad he swapped.

Whether they realize it or not, fathers play an important role in their children’s development. Roland Warren, Director of the National Fatherhood Initiative, says that, “The shape of their dads has a role in the kids’ soul.” I agree. We live in the best of times and the worst of times for fatherhood. We live in the best of times because fathers who are engaged in their child’s life spend more time than fathers of any previous generation. We live in the worst of times because there are still millions of children who continue to miss the regular presence of Dad.

What difference does a dad make? Are they really that important? For the most part, studies have proved clearly that fathers, whether they live with their children or not, matter in the lives of their children. When fathers are present, they provide economic support for their children and caregiving responsibilities. Well-fathered children are shown to be more emotionally intelligent and socially successful as adults. When fathers are absent, their absence may negatively influence children’s academic achievement, general behavioural adjustment and anger management, especially in males.

Yet just being physically present isn’t enough to be a great father. It is important that a dad be warm and emotionally available to his child. Author and researcher, John Gottman, describes this kind of father as an “emotion coaching father”. Emotion coaches are parents who listen to their children’s feelings, see the sharing of feelings as an opportunity for intimacy（亲密）. It is not just the mere presence of fathers that matters, but how they are present. Most children long for and need a loving, devoted and responsible father.

1. The author introduces his topic by ______.

A．presenting the results of studies	B．telling a story
C．making a comparison	D．interviewing some experts

2. What does the author mean in Paragraph 2 by saying “We live in the worst of times … ”?

A．Today’s fathers don’t care about their children’s emotions.

B．Lots of children’s fathers have to work every day.

C．Lots of children’s fathers are absent from their lives.

D．Today’s fathers don’t have care giving responsibilities.

3. According to the text, a well-fathered child is more likely to _______.

A．lose control of anger	B．obtain high academic achievement
C．have low emotional intelligence	D．have good social skills

4. We can learn from the text that an “emotion coaching father” is a father who ______.

A．gives economic support to his child	B．shares his child’s emotions
C．tries to change his child’s emotions	D．is always available to his child

8 . Difficult financial times don’t mean your giving shuts down.       1    There are so many ways to give back that won’t hurt your wallet and will enrich your life.

1. Pick up the phone

Calling someone “for no reason” is an important opportunity to show them that you are thinking of them. You are taking time out of your busy day to reach out. Everyone needs someone to just listen sometimes. They may be filled with joy or sadness.     2    

2.Write a note    3    It is one thing to say it, but it can be even more meaningful to put it in writing. What if you made a commitment to write a thank-you note to someone every week?

3.     4    

You never know what someone might be going through-a painful divorce, a tough college semester, or just a bad day. Opening up your home will make someone feel appreciated. In addition’ it costs less than going out. The leftovers from this dinner can be packaged up for homeless people. That’s double giving!

4. Set aside money from a daily routine to donate

Giving doesn’t have to mean a life full of sacrifices. You can still buy a burger or get your nails done.     5     Donate the money you saves: Even $ 5 can make a difference in someone’s life.

A．Give a gift to the stomach.

B．Invite someone over for dinner.

C．To take your awareness to a new level, move beyond money.

D．But instead of buying much coffee every week, you can drink less.

E．While some people enjoy receiving gifts, all of us appreciate a kind word.

F．Instead, they allow you to examine how your time and money are spent.

G．Be there to celebrate their good news, or support them with sympathy.

9 . Jessica Westervelt,a Spanish teacher at Bethlehem High School in New York,created an activity called “House Hunters”,which was inspired by the popular television show “House Hunters International”,for her Spanish class about four years ago.

Similar to the show,students work in groups,pretending to be real house agents,and look for three houses in Spanish-speaking countries.She uses the activity to teach vocabulary related to the home,chores,travel and vacation.She created the exercise because she wanted to incorporate her students’ interests into the curriculum.At the time,a group of her students were big fans of the show.

The students look for a house for Westervelt to buy to live in,or rent for vacation.She tells them what she is looking for in a home and gives them a budget.Students work in groups of three,and each student is responsible for finding one house in a Spanish-speaking country that fits the requirements.

The groups usually make a brochure describing the houses they find.Each group presents their findings to the class,while the other students take notes.The entire activity is done in Spanish,so students get to practice their writing,listening and conversation skills.They also get some cultural education when researching homes in Spanish-speaking countries.Westervelt says that students planning to take the class look forward to her project.

Westervelt says,“I think any time that you can find a way to link into something that they are interested in outside of school,it makes it more realistic for them and it makes that activity much more enjoyable for them.”

1. How did Westervelt come up with the idea of the activity?

A．She got it from a TV program.	B．She was inspired by her students.
C．She learned it from a house agent.	D．She was taught that in high school.

2. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “incorporate” in Paragraph 2?

A．change	B．absorb
C．force	D．persuade

3. What are the students supposed to do with the houses they find?

A．Rent the houses for their vacation.	B．Live in the houses for a while.
C．Write an introduction to the houses.	D．Choose and buy one for their teacher.

4. What do Westervelt’s words in the last paragraph mean?

A．Most school activities are not enjoyable.

B．Students should be realistic about study.

C．Out-of-school activities are very important.

D．Learning should be combined with interest.

10 . The more hours that young children spend in child care, the more likely they are to turn out aggressive and disobedient by the time they are in kindergarten, according to the largest study of child care and development ever conducted. Researchers said this correlation (相关性) held true regardless of whether the children came from rich or poor homes, were looked after by a relative or at a center, and whether they were girls or boys.

What is uncertain, however, is whether the child care actually causes the problem or whether children likely to turn out aggressive happen to be those who spend more hours in child care. It also remains unclear whether reducing the amount of time in child care will reduce the risk that a child will turn into a mean person. What’s more, quality child care is associated with increased skills in intellectual ability such as language and memory, leading some academics to suggest that child care turns out children who are “smart and naughty”.

The government-sponsored research, which has tracked more than 1,300 children at 10 sites across the country since 1991, is bound to cause the debate over child care again: How should people balance work and family? And how should parents, especially mothers. Resolve the demands that are placed on them to be both breadwinners and supermoms?

That debate was already on display at a news briefing yesterday, where researchers themselves had different opinions about the data and its implications (含义). “There is a constant relationship between time in care and problem behavior, especially those involving aggression and behavior,” said Jay Belsky of Birkbeck College in London, one of the lead investigators of the study who has previously annoyed women’s groups because of his criticisms of child care. “On behalf of fathers or mothers?” interrupted Sarah Friedman, a developmental psychologist at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and one of the other lead scientists on the study. “On behalf of parents and families,” responded Belsky.

“NICHD is not willing to get into policy recommendations.” said Friedman, contradicting her colleague. “There are other possibilities that can be entertained. Yes it is a quick solution—more hours in child care is associated with more problems. The easy solution is to cut the number of hours but that may have implications for the family that may not be beneficial for the development of the children in terms of economics.” In an interview after the briefing, Friedman said that asking parents to work fewer hours and spend more time with their children usually meant a loss of family income, which adversely(不利地) affects children.

Scientists said that the study was highly reliable. But the researchers said they had no idea whether the behavioral difficulties persisted as the children moved to higher grades.

1. Children who spend more time in quality child care will ________.

A．develop greater ability in language	B．be easy to manage and less naughty
C．possess great risk-taking spirit	D．be greedy and mean to their classmates

2. What is still unknown about higher level of aggressiveness in kindergarten children?

A．Whether higher level of aggressiveness can be avoided with longer child care.

B．Where longer child care equally affects children from different families.

C．Whether aggressiveness is a direct result of longer child care.

D．Whether longer child care improves intellectual ability in children.

3. In the fifth paragraph the word “it” probably means ________.

A．NICHD is unwilling to give parents recommendations

B．NICHD is willing to give policy advice concerning child care

C．the number of hours in child care should be reduced significantly

D．parents should discipline the behavior of their children more strictly

4. According to Friedman, Cutting the number of hours in child care ________.

A．may prevent families from having the necessary financial sources

B．will make families unable to enjoy much of the social benefits

C．will result in subsequent behavioral difficulties in children

D．should be accompanied with the improvement in the quality of child care