Science Daily—Kids may roll their eyes when their mothers asks them about their school day, but answering her may actually help them learn. New research from Vanderbilt University reveals that children learn the solution to a problem best when they explain it to their mom.
“We knew that children learn well with their moms or with a peer, but we did not know if that was because they were getting feedback and help,” Bethany Rittle-Johnson, the study’s lead author and assistant professor of psychology at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development, said. “In this study, we just had the children’s mothers listen, without providing any assistance. We’ve found that by simply listening, a mother helps her child learn.”
Rittle-Johnson believes the new finding can help parents better assist their children with their schoolwork, even when they are not sure of the answer themselves. Although the researchers used children and their mothers in the study, they believe the same results will hold true whether the person is the child’s father, grandparent, or other familiar persons.
“The basic idea is that it is really effective to try to get kids to explain things themselves instead of just telling them the answer,” she said. “Explaining their reasoning, to a parent or perhaps to other people they know, will help them understand the problem and apply what they have learned to other situations. We saw that this simple act of listening by mom made a difference in the quality of the child’s explanations and how well they could solve more difficult problems later on.
1.According to the passage, a mom had better ________.
A. give a kid some help when he is explaining his problem
B. just listen while a kid is explaining his problem
C. work together with a kid toward the solution to a problem
D. leave a kid alone when he meets a problem at school
2. If she wants to help a child with his schoolwork, a mom ________.
A. should know the answer to a problem first
B. should pay attention to the child’s feedback.
C. may not know the answer herself
D. should not interrupt the child
3.Who will be the least help to a kid when he is explaining, according to Rittle-Johnson?
A. The kid’s mom.
B. The kid’s grandmother.
C. A peer.
D. A relative the kid doesn’t know.
4.Which of the following best gives the main idea of the passage?
A. Children learn better when their mom is hearing their explaining.
B. Children learn better if they find the solution to a problem themselves.
C. Parents should not provide any assistance to their children’s schoolwork.
D. A mom should listen more to their children when they have problems at school.
The Wife-carrying World Championship has been celebrated in a small town in central Finland since 1992. In 1992, the people of the town decided to restart some long-forgotten traditions. Back in the late 1800s, there was a robber called Rosvo-Ronkainen in that area. He was said to only accept men as members of his gang who proved their worth in challenges. At that time, it was also a common practice to steal women from neighboring villages.
This event is becoming increasingly popular. A large number of competitors, people, and journalists from Finland to Canada attend the Wife-carrying World Championship every year.
The event is famous for its warm and humorous atmosphere. The Wife-carrying World Championship is held on a 253.3 meters long official track. The track has two dry obstacles (障碍物）and a water obstacle, about a meter deep.
There are a few basic rules and the winner is the couple who complete the course in the shortest time. The wife to be carried may be your own, or your neighbor’s. The minimum weight of the wife to be carried is 49 kg. If she is less than 49kg, the wife will be given a heavy bag to carry. Each time a competitor drops his wife, that couple will be fined 15 seconds.
Alongside with the Wife-carrying World Championship, there is also a team competition. The distance is the same but three men in the team carry the wife in turns. At the exchange point the carrier has to drink official “wife-carrying drink”. Then he may continue the race. A special prize is awarded to the team with the best costumes.
While the Wife-carrying World Championship is being held, there are bands playing music, a wife-carrying dance and other forms of entertainment.
1. The Wife-carrying World Championship is famous because ________.
A. it is held on a 253.3 meters long official track
B. many competitors take part in it
C. it has a pleasant atmosphere
D. the winner will be awarded a lot of money
2.If a husband drops his wife 3 times in the competition, he will be fined ________.
A. 15 seconds B. 30 seconds C. 45 seconds D. 60 seconds
3.Compared with the Wife-carrying World Championship, the team competition ________.
A. is more exciting B. has a special prize
C. has a different track D. has three teams altogether
4.The passage is written mainly to ________.
A. warn people that the competition is dangerous.
B. attract more visitors to the Wife-carrying World Championship.
C. introduce how the Wife-carrying World Championship has become popular.
D. tell us something about the Wife-carrying World Championship.
Yesterday was my stepmother’s birthday. I haven’t been home for a long time, so I wanted to stop by the house to see her on this special day.
I have been struggling on a low income so I was afraid that I couldn’t afford the long trip. Gas is so expensive nowadays! Anyway, I filled my tank with gas and set off.
I stopped at a shopping mall and found a present. It was the perfect gift and I knew she would love it. But when I got to the cashier, my card was declined! I didn’t have enough money in my account to pay for the gift!
So I pondered the issue for a few minutes. I could put it back and get something cheaper, but I knew there was nothing else in the store she would have liked as much. So, I got to my smart-phone and transferred some money from my saving account and was able to buy the gift. It took a big part of my savings but I wanted her to have something special.
It turned out that she loved the gift and I felt that even though I had spent almost all my money, my stepmother deserved the best. I was glad I gave her the best I could.
Before I left my parents’ house, my dad took me to one side and, with our secret handshake, he gave me some money. I hadn’t said anything to him about my financial condition, but I guessed my dad just knew it. When I got to the car, I saw the amount he gave me was three times what I had spent on the gas and the gift!
It goes to show that doing the right thing always comes with great rewards.
1. Why was the writer unwilling to have a long trip?
A. Because gas was hardly available.
B. Because the writer was short of money.
C. Because the writer didn’t like driving.
D. Because the road was difficult to drive on.
2.The underlined word “pondered” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.
A. thought about B. tried on C. depended on D. got through
3.From the passage, we can infer that ________.
A. the writer loves his stepmother very much
B. the gift the writer bought was loved by his father very much
C. the writer spend all his savings buying the gift for his stepmother
D. the gift the writer bought was the most expensive one in the shop
4.Why did the writer’s father shake hands with the writer in secret?
A. Because he wanted to ask the writer for something special.
B. Because he wanted to give the writer some money.
C. Because he knew the writer had been struggling financially.
D. Because he didn’t want others to copy their handshake.
America’s Beauty Is in Its Diversity
America is built on the idea of freedom, and there is no exception for Muslim women. I the freedom of religion and speech. But mostly, I believe it’s OK to be , and to stand up for who and what you are. So I believe in wearing the hijab.
The hijab is a religious head covering, like a scarf. I am Muslim, and keeping my head covered is a of maturity（成熟）and respect toward my and to Allah’s will. , I also like to wear it to be different. I don’t usually like to do what everyone else is doing. I want to be a(n) , not just part of the crowd. But when I first wore it, I was also afraid of the that I’d get at school.
I on my own that sixth grade was the I should start wearing the hijab. I was about what the kids would say or even do to me. I thought they might make fun of me, or be scared of me and my headscarf. Kids at that age usually like to be all the same, and there’s little or no of differences.
On the first day of school, I put all those thoughts behind my back and walked in with my head held high. I was holding my breath a little, but I was also proud to be a Muslim, proud to be wearing the hijab, proud to be different.
I was about everything I thought the kids would say or even do to me. I actually met a lot of people because of wearing my head covering. Most of the kids would come and ask me questions — — about the hijab and why I wore it.
I did hear some kid was making fun of me, there was one girl—she wasn’t even in my class, and we never really talked much–and she spoke me, and I wasn’t even there! I made a lot of new friends that year, friends that I still have until this very day, five years later.
Yes, I’m different, but everyone is different here, in one way or another. This is the of America.
1.A. believe in B. stick to C. carry out D. push for
2.A. independent B. free C. sensitive D. different
3.A. signal B. sign C. reminder D. cause
4.A. religion B. country C. parents D. status
5.A. In a word B. In general C. To be exact D. To be honest
6.A. princess B. heroine C. individual D. adult
7.A. praise B. punishment C. reaction D. reflection
8.A. hoped B. expected C. realized D. decided
9.A. time B. chance C. case D. occasion
10.A. disappointed B. scared C. enthusiasticD. angry
11.A. still B. already C. even D. ever
12.A. show off B. pull off C. pick up D. put up
13.A. rejection B. ignorance C. awareness D. acceptance
14.A. negative B. optimistic C. serious D. strange
15.A. often B. inside C. only D. outside
16.A. concerned B. particular C. wrong D. convinced
17.A. respectfully B. cautiously C. suspiciously D. critically
18.A. and B. so C. but D. or
19.A. in terms of B. in front of C. in charge of D. in favor of
20.A. significance B. beauty C. value D. power
—Mrs. Smith! Tom has broken the mirror!
—________ Such things happen.
A. How come? B. What a pity! C. Doesn’t matter. D. What’s the matter?
Mr. Rod prefers a restaurant in a small town to _______ in so large a city as Beijing.
A. it B. one C. that D. this
