Today’s children are the “result” of the modern society. Our parents have jobs that keep them busy almost all day long. They only have a free day in a week. This doesn’t allow them to keep an eye on their children.
On the other hand, the modern society gives more freedom to the children than they could “handle”. As a child, you don’t know how to grow up by yourself until you reach a certain age. That is why you need school and parents to be by your side all the time. If you don’t have either of them you may make a lot of mistakes. The social system of the modern society is very lenient especially with the children.
Most of the children today are rebels (判逆者). They are rude. They are given too much freedom by their families. This is their parent’s mistake. They ought to know that the freedom they give to their children is misunderstood.
For example it is a bad thing for a 17 – year – old child to go out in the evening on weekends. Parents are also guilty of the way their children show up in the street or at school. The same guilt belongs to the teaching system as well. Pupils shouldn’t be allowed to dress like they were on a fashion presentation at school.
Another important fact we can think of regarding the freedom of children is their free will of spending money. Parents shouldn’t allow their children to spend money on whatever they want.
I think children are given too much freedom not only by their parents, but also by the society. The latter is more to be blamed!
小題1:The writer implies that parents’ busy lifestyle         .

A．makes their children become independent

B．may lead to a tense parent – child relationship

C．is harmful to their children’s health

D．is likely to create a troubled generation

小題2:What does the underlined word “l(fā)enient” (in Para 2) mean?

A．Not responsible

B．Not strict.

C．Unkind.

D．Unfair.

小題3:It seems that the writer agrees that students          .

A．should stay at home on weekends

B．can wear trendy clothes at school

C．had better wear school uniform at school

D．can be allowed to go out in the evenings

小題4:According to the writer, which of the following takes the primary responsibility for children’s problems?

A．The social environment.	B．The educational system.
C．Each family.	D．The school.

After an earthquake or any similar disaster, parents and teachers need to help children overcome the effects of this frightening and sometimes devastating （ 毀滅性的） experience. Psychologists （心理學家）say that if children go through a disturbing event before the age of ten, they are three times as likely to suffer psychological problems as teenagers. After a disaster children may become easily upset, shy, aggressive , or afraid of wind, rain, noises, or darkness. They may have trouble letting go of their parents and resist going to school or daycare. Some children may even feel guilty thinking that they somehow caused the disaster through their bad behavior.  Because of such common reactions, parents and others should begin as soon after the event as possible helping these children. 
Some suggestions include talking to the children about what happened, letting the children express their own feelings, spending extra time with them doing activities together and reassuring （使放心）them that you love them and won't leave them. For some children expressing themselves through drawing pictures or writing can be useful. Do everything possible to help children get back to a normal routine; however, don't be afraid to "spoil" these children for a while after the disaster.  Let them have extra privileges （特權(quán)）and more attention than usual.  Encourage the children to grieve （悲痛）after a loss. It should be OK for them to cry. Caring families and friends can do much to heal children victims of disasters.
小題1:This passage is mainly about_______.

A．how to help traumatized（心理受到創(chuàng)傷的）children to get over

B．the bad effects disasters bring to children

C．the psychological problems children before ten are likely to suffer

D．the importance of caring families

小題2:According to the passage, a child who has just experienced a devastating disaster may become______.

A．more mature

B．less dependent

C．willing to help

D．ready to attack

小題3:Which is NOT advisable when dealing with the traumatized children?

A．Allowing them freedom for some time.

B．Asking them to hold their feelings.

C．Encouraging them to show their grief.

D．Talking them into taking care of others.

Kindergarten outside? Yes, indeed. It’s part of a growing worldwide trend toward outdoor education. The schools are called forest kindergartens.
The numbers are small so far in the U.S., but the idea is well established in Europe, with schools in Scotland, England, and Switzerland. By far the most such schools are in Germany, which has more than 400 forest kindergartens.
Some schools feature several hours of outdoor schooling. This is certainly the case with the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs. Children there will be venturing out on the nearby Hemlock Trail to learn more about the natural world. Some lessons are focused on nature; others are academic topics delivered in a natural setting. In all cases, students are active-not sitting at desks or on mats on the floor but walking, running, jumping, solving problems like how to get the mud off the bottoms of their shoes before their parents find out.
Seriously, the focus is on activity at these schools. Studies have shown that children’s immune systems actually get stronger after all of the outdoor activity, and that graduates of forest kindergartens show a higher ability to learn when they progress through their academic careers.
Other schools are all outdoors, all the time. This is the case with the Cedar Song Nature School, on Vashon Island, Washington. Students at this school spend their whole three–hour day outdoors, in a private five-acre forest, doing all kinds of physical activities.
At these forest kindergartens, students learn science by observing and doing it, learn math by applying it to the natural world around them, learn letters and words by putting them together using sights and sounds. These students learn how to get along with one another, individually and in a group. They also develop healthy levels of self-confidence.
Nowadays many children become obese(肥胖的) because of sedentary（久坐的） activities like watching television and playing video games. These outdoor schools give children chances to learn just as much, if not more, from opening their eyes to the real world around them.
小題1:What do we know about forest kindergartens?

A．The first one was created in England.	B．They are very popular in Germany.
C．There are 400 all over the world.	D．Their number is huge in the U.S.

小題2:What is special about forest kindergartens?

A．Kids learn more than those at ordinary kindergartens.

B．Students go outside when weather permits.

C．They value activity very much.

D．They are situated in forests.

小題3:The main difference between the Waldorf School and Cedar Song Nature School lies in______.

A．the subjects	B．the activities
C．the outdoor time	D．the teaching methods

小題4:Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A．Get close to nature	B．A new trend of education
C．Forest kindergartens are popular	D．Outdoor education benefits kids a lot

Everyone has good days and bad days.
Sometimes, you feel as if you’re on top of the world and all the questions on your maths test might seem easy. But occasionally you feel horrible, and you lose things and cannot focus on our schoolwork.
For more than 20 years, scientists have suggested that high self-esteem(自尊) is the key to success.Now, new research shows that focusing just on building self-esteem may not be helpful. In some cases, having high self-esteem can make people less likeable or more upset when they fail in something.
“Forget about self-esteem,” says Jennifer Crocker, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, US. “It’s not the important thing.”
Feeling good
Crocker’s advice may sound a bit strange. After all, feeling good can be good for you.Studies show that people with high self-esteem are less likely to be depressed, anxious, shy, or lonely than those with low self-esteem.
However, after reviewing about 18,000 studies on self-esteem, Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, has found that building up your self-esteem will not necessarily make you a better person.
He believes that violent people often have the highest self-esteem of all. He also said:“ There’s no evidence that kids with high self-esteem do better in school.”
Problems
All types of people have problems. People with high self-esteem can have big egos(自我) that can make them less likeable, said Kathleen Vohs, a psychology professor at Columbia University.People with high self-esteem tend to think more of themselves, VOhs says. People with low self-esteem are more likely to rely on their friends when they need help.
What to do
Researchers say it is best to listen to and support other people. Find positive ways to contribute to society. If you fail in something, try to learn from the experience. “The best therapy(藥方) is to recognize your faults,” Vohs says. “It’s OK to say, ‘I’ m not so good at that,’ and then move on.”
小題1:What does the underlined part “on top of the world” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Quite helpful.

B．Extremely happy.

C．Very unlucky.

D．Rather upset.

小題2:The conclusion drawn from the new research shows that high self-esteem_____.

A．is not important at all	B．makes people more likeable
C．may not be the key to success	D．helps you do better at school

小題3:Which of the following is TRUE according to Vohs?

A．Feeling good doesn’t mean you lead a happy life.

B．People with high self-esteem always seek others’ help.

C．People with high self-esteem tend to be selfish.

D．People with low self-esteem are often more popular.

小題4:We can infer from the text that the best therapy mentioned in the last paragraph is mainly for people_____.

A．with high self-esteem	B．with low self-esteem
C．who contribute significantly to society	D．who are in need of support

For many young people, having to attend school with a parent would be their worst nightmare. However, Senior 1 student Li Qinmei is happy taking her father with her as long as she can go to classes. He is disabled and unable to take care of himself.
The 16-year-old country girl in Zhucheng, Shandong Province has experienced one disaster after another in her short life. Li lost her mother at three. Four years later, her father became paralyzed after a tractor accident. At 12, her misfortune returned with the death of her grandma. Since then she has been forced to shoulder all the responsibility for her broken family.
Li learnt to cook and managed to live a life with an allowance of only 24 yuan per month. The most difficult thing she had to deal with was helping her father bathe, dress and use the toilet as he could hardly move.
"I felt embarrassed, and so did my dad. It was really hard at the beginning," she recalled.
During most of her junior school years, Li went to classes only once a month as her father was seriously ill at the time.
"I taught myself at home and asked teachers for help on my school days," she explained.
Li's hard work paid off this fall. She was admitted by Zhucheng No 1 High School, a local key school, based on her good performance in the entrance exams.
The school offered Li and her father a room on campus to live in so she could look after him during breaks.
Once in a while, Li felt sad when she saw her classmates going shopping or hanging out with friends.
"I envy them sometimes because they have both mum and dad to look after them. However, I soon feel relieved as I still have my dad with me," she said.
Li admitted that the difficulties in life had taught her to be strong.
"I believe I will go on and continue my studies at a good university," she said, in a confident tone.
Her teacher Mr. Wang has the same belief. Li made great progress in the recent monthly exams. "She works hard and is always eager to excel . It's not easy for her never to be late for school, but she has managed to make it work," Wang said.
小題1:Li Qinmei has to shoulder the family because ________.

A．her father was badly injured in a car accident

B．her mother passed away when she was 3

C．her grandma died when she was 12

D．misfortune in her life forced her to do so

小題2:From the passage we can infer that _________.

A．Li Qinmei doesn’t like others talking about her father

B．many young students hate going to school with their parents

C．Li Qinmei has made little progress in her study

D．Li Qinmei has lost three relatives and has to take care of her father

小題3:What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “hanging out” in the passage?_________.

A．playing outside

B．working hard

C．exchanging ideas

D．talking happily

小題4:What’s the best title of the story?

A．Difficulties make strong

B．A touching story

C．A strong-minded girl-Li Qinmei

D．Li Qinmei’s successful study life

Do you want to live another 100 years or more? Some experts say that scientific progress will one day help humans to last tens of years longer than what is now seen as the natural limit（限制）of the human life span（壽命）.
“ I think we are knocking at the door of immortality (永生),” said Michael Zey, a Montclair State University business professor and author of two books on the future. “ I think by 2075 we will see it and that’s a conservative estimate（保守估計）.”
At the conference in San Francisco, Donald Louria, a professor at New Jersey Medical School in Newark said progress in using genes as well as nanotechnology（納米技術(shù)）makes it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what has been possible in the past. “ There is a great push so that people can live from 120 to 180 years,” he said. “ Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to 200 or 300 or 500 years.”
However, many scientists who research into aging are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last about 120 years. Even with healthier lifestyles and less disease, they say failure of the brain and organs will finally lead all humans to death.
Scientists also disagree on what kind of life the super aged might live. “It remains to be seen whether you could be healthy enough to have good quality of life when you pass 120.” said Leonard Poon, director of the University of Georgia Gerontology Center. “ At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all.”
小題1:By saying “ we are knocking at the door immortality”, Michael Zey means_____.

A．they believe that there is no limit of living

B．they are sure to find the truth about long living

C．they have got some ideas about long living

D．they are able to make people live beyond the present life span

小題2:Donald Louria’s attitude toward long living is that_____.

A．people can live from 120 to 180

B．it is still doubtful how long humans can live

C．the human body is designed to last about 120 years

D．it is possible for humans to live longer in the future

小題3:The underlined “ it” (Para. 4) refers to_____.  

A．a(chǎn) great push

B．the idea of living beyond the present life span

C．the idea of living from 200 to 300

D．the conservative estimate

小題4:What would be the best title for this text?

A．Living longer or not

B．Science, technology and long living

C．No limit for human life

D．Healthy lifestyle and long living

Living in a modern society with more and more out-of-date but still useful computers, many people have to face such a troubling problem: How to deal with those old computers? Some old ones are put away in homes. Many more are just thrown out with the rubbish.
Don’t worry! Some companies are coming up with new ways to cut the number of old computers. Sony, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and other companies now agree to take back some old computers.
In some countries, there are laws about what to do with old computers. By law, computer companies will have to pay for collecting and recycling their used products. And 70% of computer waste must be recycled. The idea behind the laws is that computer companies themselves should pay the cost. That will encourage them to make computers that are easier and cheaper to repair and upgrade（升級）.
While many people are throwing away good computers, others cannot afford them at all. Hundreds of organizations（組織）are working to solve this problem. They collect and repair old computers before sending them to schools, charities（慈善團體）and people who need them. In this way, we can turn one person's rubbish into someone else's useful things-and cut down on waste.
小題1:What do many people do with old computers?

A．They sell them to others.

B．They try to repair them.

C．They give them to others.

D．They stop using them

小題2:According to laws in some countries mentioned in the passage, computer companies must_____.

A．recycle most of their products

B．make their computers cheaper

C．repair and upgrade old computers

D．collect all their used products

小題3:The last paragraph mainly tells us that hundreds of organizations are working to _________.

A．help the computer companies to collect old ones

B．repair old ones and send them to whoever needs them.

C．a(chǎn)dvise people not to throw away good computers.

D．encourage people to turn rubbish into useful things.

小題4:What is the main idea of this passage?

A．How to repair old computers.

B．Avoid producing too many computers.

C．Encourage to recycle old computers.

D．How to turn rubbish into useful things

The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before a huge pile of troublesome stuff they call “books”.
I was going to have my examination the next day. "When can I go to bed?" I asked myself. I didn’t answer, in fact I dared not.
The clock struck 12. "Oh, dear!" I cried, "ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to study so hard when he was a boy ."
The clock struck one. I was quite hopeless now. I forgot all I had learned. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh, God, Please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.”  My eyes were heavy, so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.
小題1:When the author was going over his lessons, all the others in the house were_____ .

A．a(chǎn)sleep	B．working in bed
C．outside	D．quietly laughing at him

小題2:Reviewing his lessons didn’t help him because ________.

A．it was too late at night

B．he was very tired

C．his eyes lids were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open

D．he hadn’t studied hard before the examination

小題3:What do you suppose happened to the author？

A．He went to a church to pray again

B．He passed the exam by luck

C．He failed in the exam

D．He was punished by his teacher

小題4:The best title for the passage would be __________ .

A．The Night Before the Examination

B．Working Far into the Night

C．A Slow Student

D．Going Over My Lessons

Technology has totally transformed our ability to communicate with each other. Linking to each other both literally and figuratively, many of us connect through cell phones, email, instant messaging, blogs, and networking web sites, yet we may be less connected to each other than we think.
According to a study, Americans are becoming increasingly socially isolated(孤立的). The study suggests, for example, that one quarter of Americans say that they have no one to discuss important personal issues with, and that the number of close friends that Americans have has dropped from three to two. Meanwhile, the Boston Globe reports that this spreading isolation is experienced more sharply among those with less education, people of color, and older Americans. Unsurprisingly, those who are young, white, and well educated tend to have stronger social networks.
From my own experience I have to say that I’ve never felt more connected, thanks to a web of friends, family, and colleagues. One of my closest friends is someone I met through an online discussion group who lives hundreds of miles away from me. We have met face-to-face only twice, yet our regular electronic correspondence and cell phone calls maintain our close friendship. And, speaking of blogging, my blog has introduced me to people I would never have met otherwise and has led to enduring and important friendships.
On the other hand, I recently saw a scene unfold that proved to me how deeply disconnected we as Americans have become. I had just wrapped up a presentation on mediation at a family therapy (治療) center.
As I was leaving, I noticed a mother and her teenage son who had just completed their session with their family therapist. After making their next appointment, they both took out their cell phones, placed calls, and began loud conversations with whoever was on the other end. I walked out behind them to the parking lot to my car. They both jumped into their cars, and, as I saw them drive off, they were still talking on their cell phones but not to each other.
小題1:What does the passage lead you to believe?

A．Americans are more socially isolated today.

B．Americans are more socially connected today.

C．Americans don’t make good use of technology.

D．Technology plays a bigger role in American society.

小題2:Which of the following has nothing to do with the isolation among Americans?

A．Sex.

B．Education.

C．Skin color.

D．Age.

小題3:What is true about the mother and son in the passage?

A．They came for therapy in the same car.

B．They were quite close to each other.

C．There was not much communication between them.

D．They preferred talking to each other on cell phones.

小題4:What can we learn from the passage?

A．The writer is totally against the modern technology.

B．The mother and the son have finished their family therapist and get a better relationship.

C．As far as the writer is concerned, he has benefited a lot from the modern technology.

D．Those black and well-educated people have stronger social network than aged white people.

Technology is making life easier for some dairy farmers. They use robotic systems to milk their cows. Cows are trained to follow a series of paths that lead to milking stations. Only one cow at a time can enter a station.
Once inside, the cow is rewarded with food. As the cow eats, a robotic arm cleans and connects the animal to the milking machine. A few minutes later, milking is complete. The gate is opened, the cow is released and the next cow enters.
The robotic systems are designed to operate 24 hours a day. The cows get to decide when they want to be milked. Cows are milked an average of about three times a day. Some are milked four to six times a day.
The cows wear collars around their necks that identify them to the system. A computer keeps records on their eating and milking. A cow is released from the station if the computer decides it should not be milked.
The automated system also measures the temperature and color of freshly produced milk. Milk is thrown away if it does not pass the tests.
Professor Plaut believes the systems will appeal especially to the next generation of farmers. She means young people who are more interested in technology and less interested in working all the time on the farm. Still, she says the price of robotic milking systems will continue to limit their use.
Doug and Tina Suhr have more than 100 cows on their family farm. Last year it became the fourth farm in southeast Minnesota to get a robotic milking system. A recent story in a local agricultural newspaper said the first robot cost 175 000 dollars. The second cost 150 000.
Doug told AgriNews that wages that would have been paid for one employee in five years will pay for one robot. He says the increase in milk production reaches a high of more than six kilograms per cow per day.
小題1:From the first paragraph, we can infer________.

A．the robotic system is designed to reduce labor

B．cows can be raised by robots in the future

C．robots direct cows into milking stations

D．cows are kept clean by robots on some farms

小題2:Besides milking cows, the robotic system also can ________.

A．a(chǎn)djust the temperature of milking stations

B．judge the quality of fresh milk

C．improve the appetite of cows

D．keep fresh milk for two weeks

小題3:Why is the robotic system not popular now?

A．Because young people have no interest in it.

B．Because it is difficult to learn how to use it.

C．Because people can’t afford to buy it.

D．Because it usually causes the waste of milk.

小題4:According to Doug, what is the wage of an employee?

A．150, 000-170, 000.

B．750, 000.

C．150, 000 -30, 000.

D．30, 000- 32, 000

小題5:The best title for the passage may be_______.

A．Letting robot milk your cow	B．Milking cows by hand
C．Improving the quality of milk	D．Drinking fresh milk every day