Is early childhood education really necessary ? Early childhood education primarily focuses on learning through playing to develop the child’s physical , sensory , communicational and social development . Early childhood education has become a concern of the government , who pushes poor children to be formally trained before they are old enough for kindergarten .
There are good reasons for the government to push early childhood education . Studies have shown that orphaned children (孤儿) who did not receive good care and education become developmentally delayed causing failure in school , and even in life. Further studies show that poor children who take part in Head Start programs are more prepared for school , less likely to end up in Special Education classes , and are less likely to receive public help or go to jail (prison) .
There are also negative parts to putting a child in formal education programs too early . Time Magazine Online explains that “ the younger the child is , the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work .” I have personally witnessed many children of my generation who went to Head Start programs become frustrated and bored with school before they finished high school . Yet parents have been sure that the earlier the child starts school , the better off he or she is , so they push to start children earlier .
Actually while early formal education of poor children does show great gains in the early elementary years , studies also show that this head start is really a “ false start” , as the gains are lost in middle and high school years. It seems that environment is a bigger factor on life’s success than early education . Head Start programs have not achieved its original goal in closing the achievement gap in poor and middle school children. Perhaps it is time to find other ways to close that gap .
1.The government values the early childhood education in order to ___________ .
A. develop the children’s communication
B. help the children to learn by playing
C. get the children prepared for the kindergarten
D. train the children formally and regularly
2.According to the studies , ___________ .
A. children with good early education may have a rich life
B. the orphaned children are usually unhappy in their life
C. children without early education can do well at school
D. Head Start programs are helpful to the poor children
3.The explanation of Time Magazine Online suggests that ____________ .
A. the early childhood education is helpless to the child’s grade
B. it is good for the young children to receive early education
C. the early education can help the children follow the grade
D. the younger the children are , the more clever they will be
4.The main idea of the last paragraph is that ___________ .
A. the early childhood education is very necessary
B. Head Start programs have helped the children a lot
C. environment is the most important to life’s success
D. better ways should be found to help the poor children
The UK has a well-respected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. But to those who are new to it all , sometimes it can be confusing .
October is usually the busiest month in the college calendar . Universities have something called Freshers’ Week for their newcomers. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends , join lots of clubs and settle into university life.
However , having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind , the prospect (前景) of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nerve-wracking (令人焦虑不安的). Where do you start ? Who should you make friends with ? Which clubs should you join ?
Luckily , there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you are worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot . So just take it all in slowly . Don’t rush into anything that you’ll regret for the next three years.
Here are some top advice from past students on how to survive Freshers’ Week :
Learn rules. Make sure you know British social etiquette(礼节). Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends.
Be kind . Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends.
Be social . The more active you are , the more likely you’ll be to meet new people than if you’re someone who never leaves his room .
Bring a doorstop. Keep your door open when you’re in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you’re friendly .
So with a bit of clever planning and effort , Freshers’ Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you’ll be passing on your experience to next year’s new recruits .
1.Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage ?
A. October is generally the busiest month for universities.
B. It’s a good idea to put a doorstop in your door.
C. A bit of planning can make Freshers’ Week easier.
D. The first week of your every year at university is called Freshers’ Week .
2.The underlined word “ recruits” in the last paragraph refers to _________ .
A. courses B. freshers
C. neighbors D. challenges
3.We can infer from the 4th paragraph that __________ .
A. the newcomers usually miss the days living at home
B. most of the students in the UK spend three years in universities
C. many freshers are worried about how to fit universities life
D. all the new students will make new friends and join certain clubs
4. Why does the author suggests having wine glasses and snacks handy ?
A. To pass the busy university life.
B. To help make friends with other freshers .
C. To show yourself a drinker as others.
D. To pass the time in a happy way.
5. The main purpose of the passage is to _________ .
A. tell the newcomers how to make a new start in universities
B. introduce something about higher education system of the UK
C. discuss something about the Freshers’ Week in the UK
D. advise the freshmen how to behave well in the beginning
Booking opens for Beckett Shorts on September .
BY TELEPHONE
For credit card booking. Calls are answered .
BOX OFFICE 01789 295623 9 a.m.～ 8 p.m. (Mon.～ Sat)
0541 541051 (24 hours , 7 days , no booking charge )
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For credit card booking . Please allow at least 48 hours for reply , if required.
BOX OFFICE 01789 261974 or 01862 387765
BY POST
Please enclose (附上) a cheque or credit card details together with an SAE or add 50 p to the total amount (总额) to cover postage. Please send to the Box Office , RST, Stratford-upon-Avon , CV37 6BB.
1. In which of the following ways of booking does one probably have to pay extra money ?
A. In person. B. By telephone.
C. By fax. D. By post .
2. One has to wait for 2 days or longer for a reply if he / she pays _______ .
A. in person B. by telephone
C. by fax D. by post
3.. What is a useful number to call at 11 a.m. Sunday ?
A. 01789 295623. B. 0541 541051.
C. 01789 261174. D. 01862 387665.
When other nine-year-old kids were playing games, she was working at a petrol station . When other teens were studying or going out , she struggled to find a place to sleep on the street. But she overcame these terrible setbacks to win a highly competitive scholarship and gain entry to Harvard University . And her amazing story has inspired a movie , “ Homeless to Harvard : The Liz Murray Story” , shown in late April .
Liz Murray , a 22-year-old American girl, has been writing a real-life story of willpower and determination . Liz grew up in the shadow of two drug-addicted parents. There was never enough food or warm clothes in the house . Liz was the only member who had a job . Her mother had AIDS and died when Liz was just 15 years old. The effect of that loss became a turning point in her life. Connecting the environment in which she had grown up with how her mother had died , she decided to do something about it.
Liz went back to school. She threw herself into her studies, never telling her teachers that she was homeless . At night , she lived on the streets. “ What drove me to live on had something to do with understanding , by understanding that there was a whole other way of being . I had only experienced a small part of the society,” she wrote in her book Breaking Night .
She admitted that she used envy to drive herself on . She used the benefits that come easily to others , such as a safe living environment , to encourage herself that “ next to nothing could hold me down”. She finished high school in just two years and won a full scholarship to study at Harvard University . But Liz decided to leave her top university a couple of months earlier this year in order to take care of her father, who has also developed AIDS. “ I love my parents so much . They are drug addicts. But I never forget that they loved me all the time.”
Liz wants moviegoers to come away with the idea that changing your life is “ as simple as making a decision”.
1. The main idea of the passage is __________ .
A. how Liz managed to enter Harvard University
B. What a hard time Liz had in her childhood
C. why Liz loved her parents so much
D. how Liz struggled to change her life
2. In which order did the following things happen to Liz ?
a. Her mother died of AIDS.
b. She worked at a petrol station.
c. She got admission into Harvard University.
d. The movie about her life was put on.
e. She had trouble about finding a place to sleep .
A. b, a , e , c, d B. a , b , c , e , d
C. e , d, b , a , c D. b , e , a , d , c
3. What actually made her go towards her goal ?
A. Envy and encouragement.
B. Willpower and determination .
C. Decisions and understanding.
D. Love and respect for her parents.
4. When she wrote “ What drove me to live on … I had only experienced a small part of the society，she meant that __________ .
A. she had little experience of social life.
B. she could hardly understand the society.
C. she would do something for her own life.
D. she needed to travel more around the world.
Late that afternoon I took the train back to Sydney . There I found another surprise waiting for me . My room at the hotel had been given to somebody else and they had no room for me. Harkin had known my travel plans and had planned everything . How could he have booked the room only for three days ? There was nothing to be done but to find another hotel. The waiters were happy to find me a new hotel , and when I said that I was happy to stay at the airport , thinking it might be cheaper than staying in the city , they suggested the Holiday Inn at the airport . There was one small matter : the room rate was $ 300 per night . The best hotel in Katoomba had wanted only $ 145 . I asked if there was anything cheaper they might suggest but they warned that most hotels would already be full by this time.
The hotel was far from the train station , so I had to take a taxi , at $ 25 . On the way to the Holiday Inn , we passed a hotel just two blocks from the Holiday Inn that advertised a room rate of $ 104 . At the desk I asked if their room rate could go down a lot . “ No , this is a 4-star hotel,” the waiter told me . “ In that case ,” I replied , “ I’ll just walk the two blocks to the cheap hotel.” But she warned me that they were probably full and that if I didn’t take the room , it might not be available when I came back . Finally , I decided to take the room.
The room itself was big , but the air conditioning couldn’t keep up with the Australian heat . I couldn’t sleep until about 1:00 am.
1. Why did the writer have to look for another hotel ?
A. He didn’t book early. B. Harkin made a mistake.
C. He was short of money. D. He wasn’t well received.
2. How did the writer feel when hearing the room rate at the Holiday Inn ?
A. Nervous. B. Happy.
C. Surprised. D. Relaxed.
3. Why did the writer take the room finally ?
A. It’s a 4-star hotel . B. It’s around the station.
C. It was mid-night then. D. The room was in great demand.
4. What does the text mainly talk about ?
A. A hotel hunting experience. B. An unforgettable day.
C. A warm-hearted waiter. D. An introduction to hotels.
Sometimes your weakness can become your biggest strength. ____ the story of a 10-year-old boy for example , who decided to study judo (柔道) with a judo teacher despite the fact that he had his left arm because of a car accident .
The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand , , after three months of , the teacher had taught him only one move.
“ Sir ,” the boy finally said , “ I be learning more moves?” “This is the only move you know , but this is the only move you’ll need to know ,” the teacher replied. Not quite understanding , believing in his teacher , the boy kept training.
Several months later , the teacher took the boy to his first tournament (锦标赛) . Surprising , the boy easily won his first three matches. Still by his success , the boy was now in the finals .
This , his opponent (对手) was bigger , stronger , and more experienced . For a while , the boy to be in the disadvantage . Concerned that the boy might , the judge called a time-out . He was about to stop the match the teacher interrupted . “ No,” the teacher , “ Let him continue .”
, his opponent made the biggest mistake : he dropped his guard . Instantly , the boy used his move to throw him down . The boy had the tournament .
On the way home , the boy gathered to ask the teacher what was really his mind. “ Sir , how did I win the tournament with only one move ?”
“ You won for two reasons,” the teacher answered . “ First , you’ve almost one of the most difficult throws in all judo. Second , the only defense (防御) for all that move is for your opponent to take hold of your left arm..” The boy’s biggest weakness---- the loss of his left arm, had become his biggest strength.
1.A. TakeB. GiveC. ShowD. Make
2.A. injuredB. lostC. replacedD. broken
3.A. howB. whetherC. whyD. when
4.A. trainingB. matchesC. lecturesD. running
5.A. Needn’tB. Shouldn’tC. Mustn’tD. Wouldn’t
6.A. stillB. alsoC. evenD. ever
7.A. soB. butC. orD. and
8.A. themB. himC. himselfD. themselves
9.A. amazedB. excitedC. worriedD. pleased
10.A. wayB. manC. matchD. time
11.A. happenedB. appearedC. pretendedD. decided
12.A. become nervousB. feel tiredC. get hurtD. go sick
13.A. whileB. beforeC. whenD. until
14.A. orderedB. insistedC. explainedD. complained
15.A. Ever sinceB. By thenC. In timeD. Soon after
16.A. lostB. wonC. passedD. joined
17.A. courageB. strengthC. informationD. chance
18.A. inB. onC. forD. with
19.A. seenB. forgottenC. masteredD. remembered
20.A. knownB. interestingC. wrongD. clear
