There is a common belief among parents that schools are no longer interested in spelling. No school I have taught in has ever considered spelling unimportant as a basic skill. There are, however, quite different ideas about how to teach it, or how much priority (优先) it must be given over general language development and writing ability. The problem is how to encourage a child to express himself freely in writing without holding him back with spelling.
If spelling becomes the only point of his teacher's interest, clearly a bright child will be likely to "play safe". He will write only words within his spelling range. That's why teachers often encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content rather than technical ability.
I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a sensitive piece of writing about a personal experience: "This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling mistakes." It may have been a sharp criticism of the pupils' technical abilities in writing, but it was also a sad thing for the teacher who had omitted (略过)to read the composition, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child's deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the mistakes, but if his priority had centered on the child's ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the presentation would have given the pupil more hope to seek improvement.
1.Teachers differ in their opinions about _______ .
A. the difficulties in teaching spelling
B. the necessity of teaching spelling
C. the importance of the basic writing skills
D. the role of spelling in general language development
2.The expression "play safe" probably means ______.
A. to write carefully
B. to avoid using words one is not sure of
C. to use dictionaries frequently
D. to do as teachers say
3.Teachers encourage the use of dictionaries so that______.
A. students will be able to express their ideas more freely.
B. teachers will have less trouble in correcting mistakes.
C. students will have more trust in writing.
D. students will learn to spell words correctly.
4.The main idea of the passage is _______.
A. the importance of developing writing skills
B. the importance of spelling
C. the correct way of marking composition
D. the relationship between spelling and the content of a composition
The sea has always interested man. From it he can get food, minerals, and treasure. For thousands of years, he could sail on it. But he could not go far beneath its surface.
Man wants to explore deep into the sea. However, he is not a fish. He must breathe air, so he can't stay under the water's surface for any length of time. To explore deep water, man faces even more dangers and problems.
A diver who wants to stay under water for more than a few minutes must breathe air or a special mixture of gases. He can wear a diving suit and have air pumped to him from above. He can carry a tank of air on his back and breathe through a nose and a mouthpiece. Water weighs 800 times as much as air. Tons of water pushes against a diver deep in the sea. His body is under great pressure.
When a diver is under great pressure, his blood takes in some of the gases he breathes. As he rises to surface, the water pressure becomes less. If the diver rises too quickly, the gases in his blood form bubbles. The diver is then suffering from the bends. The bends can cause a diver to double up in pain. They can even kill him.
1.On the whole, this passage is about ________.
A. special mixtures of gases in deep sea
B. the problems man faces in deep sea diving
C. air pressure under the surface of sea water
D. a kind of illness that man suffers in the sea
2.The passage does not say so, but it makes you think that ________.
A. deep divers should be in good health
B. divers explore the deep sea only for treasure
C. diving under the water too quickly causes a kind of illness
D. there is a special mixture of gases under the sea
3.From the passage we can see that ________.
A. the sea began to interest man a few years ago
B. man is not at home deep in the sea
C. all divers will get the bends sooner or later
D. the air in the sea water will kill a diver if he is not careful
Dear son,
The day that you see me old and I am already not in good health, have patience and try to understand me.
If I get dirty when eating, if I can not dress, have patience and remember the hours I teaching it to you. If, when I speak to you, I the same things thousand and one times, do not me, listen to me. When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story you got to sleep. When I do not want to have a , neither shame me nor scold me. Remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I , in order that you wanted to bathe. When you see my little about new technologies, give me the necessary time and do not look at me with your mocking (嘲弄) smile. I taught you to do so many things: to eat good, to dress well, to confront life.
When at some moment I lose the memory or the of our conversation, let me have the necessary time to remember, and if I cannot do it, do not become nervous, as the most important thing is not our conversation but surely to be with you and to have you to me.
If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well I need to and when not. When my legs do not allow me to walk, give me your , the same way I did when you gave your first . And when someday I say to you that I do not want to any more -that I want to rest forever, do not get angry. Someday you will understand.
Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived. Some day you will discover that, my mistakes, I always wanted the thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you. You must not feel sad, or angry for seeing me you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you living. Help me to walk, help me to end my way with love and . I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.
I love you, son.
Your father
1.A. paid B. spent C. cost D. took
2.A. praise B. think C. repeat D. criticize
3.A. interrupt B. disturb C. look D. avoid
4.A. when B. after C. since D. until
5.A. rest B. word C. shower D. sleep
6.A. discovered B. invented C. noticed D. assumed
7.A. knowing B. fearing C. enjoying D. consulting
8.A. what B. when C. how D. why
9.A. news B. attitude C. material D. thread
10.A. talking B. listening C. responding D. appealing
11.A. where B. how C. that D. when
12.A. tired B. tiring C. tiresome D. tire
13.A. leg B. ear C. hand D. mind
14.A. step B. pace C. laugh D. cry
15.A. talk B. live C. write D. sleep
16.A. though B. since C. while D. despite
17.A. last B. first C. best D. most
18.A. near B. behind C. below D. against
19.A. made B. started C. earned D. found
20.A. mercy B. care C. excuse D. patience
– Where does your brother work, Jane?
-- In America. But he __________in China for 5 years.
A. has been working B. has worked
C. worked D. was working
But for his father’s sudden illness, he would never thought of breaking this ______with you.
A. arrangement B. appointment C. schedule D. interview
A new iPad in the market costs about ______ of a second-hand one.
A. three times of the price
B. three times as much as the price
C. three times the price
D. three times more than the price