1 . Empathy (同理心) is one of those strange qualities — something almost everyone wants, but few know how to truly give or receive it. In a world where self-satisfaction is emphasized, it is in short supply but high demand. This is all the more reason to teach the next generation what it means to have empathy for those around them.

What Is Empathy? — Many people confuse sympathy and empathy, but they are two distinct values. Empathy is not just the ability to understand someone's feelings; criminals often take advantage of people by appearing to understand their feelings and subsequently gaining their trust. Empathy is more than that. Not only is it the ability to recognize how someone feels, but it also values and respects the feelings of another person. It means treating others with kindness, dignity, and understanding.

Kids Need To See Adults Show Empathy — While some children are gifted with naturally kind hearts, in most cases kids need to see empathy modeled by the adults around them. It begins with the way parents relate to their children. Parents who show an interest in the things that matter to their kids and respond to emotions in a positive and caring way are teaching the skill of empathy.

Meet Emotional Needs — When children have their emotional needs met, two things happen. They learn how to meet the emotional needs of others and they are anchored in what they are receiving, meaning that they are secure enough to give to others when the need arises but first they need to receive. An empty jug cannot fill a cup.

It's a good idea to talk to kids about emotions and how other people experience them. Give their emotions names (for example, jealousy, anger, and love) and teach them that these are normal. Talk to them about how to handle emotions in a positive way and point out situations where other people are experiencing emotions. Teach them about respecting the emotions of others and show them how to act in a situation where a response is required.

1. Why is it that the next generation are taught to have empathy?

A．Because people tend to center themselves.	B．Because everyone lacks empathy.
C．Because empathy is a strange quality.	D．Because it's better to give than to receive.

2. Which situation can empathy be used in?

A．When a mathematician is calculating the area of a farmland.

B．When a teacher is comforting a student about his failure in exams.

C．When a criminal is cheating a victim.

D．When a dancer is dancing to music.

3. What does the underlined sentence "An empty jug cannot fill a cup" mean?

A．An empty jug is too small to hold a cup.

B．It's a must to talk to kids about emotions.

C．Adults should set an example to kids.

D．Kids give empathy with their emotional needs met first.

4. What is the main topic of the passage?

A．How to train kids to have empathy.

B．How to distinguish sympathy and empathy.

C．How to help kids finish empathy-related tasks.

D．Whether kids can be trained to be more empathetic.

2 . Here's the nine o'clock news.

Prime Minister Abdul Krim of Syria (叙利亚) has said that the danger of war in the Middle East is greater now than in the past two years. His country does not want war, he says, but the Syrian people have waited too long for an end to the troubles with their neighbours. If war comes, says Mr Krim, Syria will be ready.

Ben Kitson, the writer of stories and plays for children, died at his home in California. Mr Kitson was 82. His most famous book of stories, The Gentleman’s House, sold all over the world, in more than twenty-five languages.

Policemen in New York have stopped work. Their leader, Mr Paulo Angeli, says that they will return to work only when they receive more money for working long hours and doing what Mr Angeli calls “the most dangerous job in the city”.

It has been a good year on the farm. The warm, wet spring and the fine summer have been very good for all kinds of food plants. This means that fruit and vegetables will cost less in the shops this year.And now it's time for“Morning Music”.

1. Abdul Krim has said that ______.

A．there is no danger of war in the Middle East.

B．it is more possible for war to happen now.

C．the danger of war passed two years ago.

D．there has been a danger of war for the past two years.

2. The Gentleman’s House is ______.

A．a book Mr Kitson wrote in many languages.

B．the name of Mr Kitson’s house in California.

C．the name of Mr Kitson’s most famous book.

D．a play that Mr Kitson wrote for children.

3. Mr Paulo Angeli is ______.

A．the most dangerous policeman in New York.

B．a policeman who receives more money for working longer hours.

C．the head of the police in New York.

D．a policeman who leads the strike.

3 . Many cars advertisements（广告）in the United States are red, blue or green. But nearly 75% of the new cars sold in the United States are black, white, silver or gray.

Les Jackson is a reporter who writes about cars. He says Americans prefer the cars whose colors do not show dirt clearly. In this way, the owners can wash their cars less to save money. In fact, some areas that are short of water do not allow people to wash their cars often.

Dan Benton works for a company called Axalta, which sells paint（涂料）to international car markers. He says white cars are usually sold at a better price than cars of other colors. And they absorb less energy, which means temperatures inside them are lower in warmer areas. Besides, research at Monash University in Australia suggests that there is a lower risk of car accidents during the day for white cars compared with darker ones. In China, many buyer say white makes a small car look bigger.

Axalta says about 11% of the cars sold in North America are red and 8% are blue. In South America, 10% of the new cars sold are red.

“Green cars have become less popular,” Dan Benton says. “In the mid 1990s, green was the most popular color in North America. But today, green cars are hard to find.”

In the future, people may not have to choose the color of their cars---technology may let owners change their cars’ paint color anytime.

1. Americans like to buy cars that don’t show dirt clearly in order to _________

A．save energy	B．save money
C．follow the government policy	D．reduce car accidents

2. According to the text, white cars have many features except _________

A．looking more beautiful	B．absorbing less heat
C．being more expensive	D．being safer

3. ________ people think white cars appear to be bigger than they really are.

A．South American	B．Australian
C．Chinese	D．North American

4. Nowadays in North American, which color car may be dislike by most people?

A．Red	B．White
C．Blue	D．Green

4 . At least 20 people died and hundreds were injured in a bridge collapse in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata Thursday. Witnesses said many people and vehicles, including two buses carrying more than 100 passengers, were under the bridge when it fell. They also said construction workers had set up camps near the bridge site where they would sleep and cook.

Before rescue teams arrived, local residents and firefighters used their bare hands to try to rescue people trapped under the debris. The collapsed bridge is in a busy commercial area of Kolkata. Its location has made it difficult for rescue operations. Access to the area is blocked on both sides by buildings, and the streets are blocked with heavy traffic.

Reuters (路透社) reports that the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, rushed to the scene of the collapse. She said that rescuing those trapped is her “top priority”. Banerjee said those responsible for the disaster will be punished. Yet she faces questions about the safety of the construction project. The Telegraph newspaper reported last November that Banerjee wanted the bridge — already five years overdue — to be completed by February. Project engineers said they were concerned over whether this would be possible, the newspaper said at the time. Construction workers had been on a strict schedule to complete the bridge. The disaster could affect the West Bengal election next month. An Indian company, IVRCL, was building the 2­kilometer bridge, its website said. IVRCL’s director of operations said the company was not sure of the cause of the disaster.

1. Why were so many people killed or injured in the accident?

A．Many people were under or near the bridge.

B．The rescue work responded too slowly.

C．The bridge was under construction.

D．Construction workers had set up camps there.

2. What does the underlined word “debris” probably mean?

A．Buildings.	B．Ruins.
C．Vehicles.	D．Disasters.

3. What can we learn about the bridge?

A．It was designed by a company called IVRCL.

B．Project engineers were unwilling to cooperate.

C．It should have been completed five years ago.

D．The cause of the disaster has been discovered.

5 . Goddington Theater

The Goddington Theater Ticket Office is open from 10a．m．until 4p．m．Monday to Friday，and for half an hour in the evening before the advertised start time of each performance．

Telephone bookings

*Your tickets are held at the Ticket Office for you to collect or，if you prefer，a charge（费用） of 35cents is made to post them to you if you pay by cash．We'll post them to you for free if you book by credit card．No extra charge．

Postal bookings

*You can write to the Ticket Office requesting tickets，or to confirm a reservation． Where to find Goddington Theater

*Goddington Theater can be found within the Goddington University site，next to the car park，which is available for public use after 5p．m．on weekdays and all day on weekends．

If travelling by car

*Coming from the south end of Princes Street，you will see the library on your right．Next to the library is Goddington University．Take the next turning on the right，then first right into the car park gate straight ahead of you，stopping as close as possible to the orange machine．Put a $ 1coin in the machine and the gate will rise．

If travelling by train/bus/taxi

*You will need to allow 30minutes to walk from the train station．Taxis are available from the front of the station．

*The University is a 5to 10minutes'walk from the main bus station．

*When ordering a taxi from the theater，ask to be picked up at the bottom of North Street．Taxis will not come into the car park because of the entrance charge．

1. You can book your tickets ______ ．

A．at 5 p.m on Wednesday	B．at noon on workdays
C．at lunch time on weekends	D．at 9 a.m on Monday

2. Where is the Goddington Theater？ ______

A．To the south of Princes Street

B．On the right of the Ticket Office．

C．At the bottom of North Street．

D．In the Goddington university．

3. What can we learn from the passage？ ______

A．Taxi drivers are unwilling to pick up customers inside the car park．

B．Tickets paid by cash will be posted to you at no extra charge．

C．You can find a free parking place in the university．

D．You have to collect your tickets if you pay by credit card．

6 . Shyness is the cause of much unhappiness for a great many people. Shy people are anxious and self-conscious; that is, they are excessively concerned with their own appearance and actions.

Worrisome thoughts are constantly occurring in their minds: what kind of impression am I making? Do they like me? Do I sound stupid? Am I wearing unattractive clothes? It is obvious that such uncomfortable feelings must negatively affect people. A person’s conception of himself or herself is reflected in the way he or she behaves, and the way a person behaves affects other people’s reactions. In general, the way people think about themselves has a profound effect on all areas of their lives.

Shy people, having low self-esteem, are likely to be passive and easily influenced by others. They need reassurance that they are doing “the right thing.” Shy people are very sensitive to criticism; they feel it confirms their feelings of inferiority. They also find it difficult to be pleased by compliment with a statement like this one, “You’re just saying that to make me feel good. I know it’s not true.” It is clear that while self-awareness is a healthy quality, overdoing it is harmful.

Can shyness be completely eliminated, or at least reduced? Fortunately, people can overcome shyness with determined and patient efforts in building self-confidence. Since shyness goes hand in hand with a lack of self-esteem, it is important for people to accept their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Each one of us is a unique, worthwhile individual, interested in our own personal ways. The better we understand ourselves, the easier it becomes to live up to our full potential. Let’s not allow shyness to block our chances for a rich and fulfilling life.

1. The first paragraph is mainly about _______.

A．the cause of shyness	B．the feeling of shy people
C．the effect of shyness on people	D．the question in the minds of shy people

2. According to the writer, self-awareness is__________.

A．armful to people	B．a healthy quality
C．the cause of unhappiness	D．a weak point of shy people

3. What is the shy people’s reaction to praise?

A．They are pleased by it.	B．They feel they are worthy of it.
C．They are very sensitive to it.	D．They feel it is not true.

4. What we can learn from the passage is that shyness can _______.

A．be overcome with determination

B．help us to live up to our full development

C．enable us to understand ourselves better

D．have nothing to do with lack of self- respect

7 . At least 77 were wounded when hundreds of army soldiers and anti-government protesters clashed in Bangkok early Monday morning 14 hours after Thai PM declared a state of emergency in the capital city, Thai media reports.

The Nation quoted hospital reports as saying at least 77 people suffered injuries mainly from teargas, with five seriously injured.

At around 7:20 a.m., the government announced it was in control of the situation at Din Daeng, The Nation said on its website.

Some protesters had been arrested, and Army Spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd earlier said “Similar operations will be carried out in other areas.”

The clash occurred around 4:30 a.m. Monday (21:00 GMT Sunday) when some 300 so-called red-shirted protesters used a seized bus to crash soldiers at Din Daeng District in north Bangkok, Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd told TPBS.

Soldiers fired warning shots into the air and used teargas to disperse the protesters after failing to persuade the red shirts to stop, Sansern said.

Earlier the Health Department of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced a total injury number of 68.

Army Chief General Anupong Paojinda refused to comment on the incident, adding that he will learn more about it first.

At about 6:15 a.m. Monday (23:15 GMT Sunday), former premier Thaksin Shinawatra told the Red-shirted protesters to continue fighting in a phone conversation with a main leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared on Sunday afternoon a state of emergency in Bangkok and some districts of five provinces nearby.

The latest round of the anti-government protests led by UDD has entered its 19th day. Red-shirted protesters on Saturday forced the summits canceled.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2009)

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．At least 77 were wounded during the crash between soldiers and protesters.

B．The ASEAN summits have been cancelled.

C．Soldiers used teargas to disperse the protesters.

D．Thai Prime Minister announced a state of emergency.

2. What can you infer from the passage?

A．The conflict is connected with the former premier Thaksin.

B．The Army Chief General refused to comment on the incident.

C．Soldiers didn’t persuade the red shirts to stop.

D．About 300 protesters seized a bus and crashed soldiers.

3. Which of the following is TRUE?

A．The latest round of protests started in March, 2009.

B．Five protesters died in the clash.

C．It’s officially said on the morning of Sunday that the situation was out of control.

D．It is most likely that the army is against the government.

4. What does the underlined word “disperse” probably mean?

A．开枪

B．驱散

C．劝说

D．谈判

8 . At three a.m., Jack Mills was sitting at the controls of the mail train. The train was made up of 13 cars. At the end of the train, 71 mailmen sat sorting the mail. Inside the second car, there were only five mailmen and 128 bags full of five-pound notes. This train had run more than 100 years without being robbed(抢劫). At three minutes past three, Mills and his helper, David Whitby, saw a yellow warning light. They slowed the train, and then stopped. Whitby went to the telephone beside the track. It was out of order. Then he saw a man moving between the second and the third cars. Before Whitby could give a warning, he was knocked down by two men. Mills’ cars with all the mailmen had been disconnected by the robbers. At the bridge, the bags of money were unloaded from the train and thrown into waiting trucks. One of the robbers who obviously knew the schedules(时刻表) of all the trains kept looking at his watch. At 3:45 he said, “That will have to be enough.” The robbers drove away with more than 2,500,000 pounds.
1. The robbery took place______.

A．before 3:03	B．in the early morning
C．after three o'clock in the afternoon	D．after 3:45

2. The robbers_____ before the train stopped.

A．were all in the train	B．forced Mills to stop the train
C．were waiting for the train to stop	D．ordered Mills to go on driving

3. Why didn’t the other mailmen help the mailmen in the second car when the robbery happened?

A．Because they were busy sorting the mail.

B．Because they didn’t want to help the mailmen in the second car.

C．Because the last eleven cars were separated from the front cars.

D．Because they knew nothing about the robbery.

4. One of the robbers kept looking at his watch because________.

A．he wanted to know the exact time	B．he enjoyed looking at his watch
C．he didn’t know when another train would come	D．they had to leave before another train came

5. Which the following is NOT true?

A．The train was out of order.

B．The telephone was put out of order by the robbers

C．Whitby had an assistant driver.

D．The robbers carried the money away by truck.