American teenager Thomas Cheatham had planned to study Latin during his sophomore year at Hebron High School in Texas. But when he learned that the school district was going to offer a Mandarin class, he quickly changed his mind. “I thought it (Mandarin) would be more beneficial than Latin,” said Cheatham, who is now in his second year of studying the language.
He speaks Mandarin to order food at Chinese restaurants and can read Face book posts from his Chinese-speaking friends.
While it’a difficult language to master, the high school junior, who plans to study computer engineering, thinks it will be a valuable thing in his career.
“Chinese is a good language to know, especially with China becoming a growing power,” he said.
Many experts agree that proficiency in a language spoken by a billion people worldwide will give American students an edge in the global economy.
“People are looking at China as our next economic competitor, and interest in Mandarin is growing,'' said Marty Abbott, executive director of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. ''We're seeing it in all parts of the country.”
The number of students studying Mandarin in public schools nationwide in grades 7 through 12 grew from 20,000 in 2004-2005 to 60,000 three years later, according to the council’s most recent survey.
Abbott estimates that as many as 100,000 students are now studying Mandarin, in public and private schools, throughout the nation.
She said the US government has considered Mandarin to be an “important needs” language and provides professional development programs for teachers.
“Our government wants to increase our language ability for national security and economic competitiveness,” Abbott said.
At the same time, the Chinese government is spreading knowledge of the Chinese language and culture through Confucius Institutes established in many states.
The Confucius Institute at the University of Texas in Dallas, founded in 2007, opens Confucius Classrooms at 11 local public and private schools where more than 700 students are learning Mandarin.
1.Why does the writer mention Thomas in the passage?
A. To tell us how changeable he is.
B. To introduce the topic of the passage.
C. To introduce his college life.
D. To tell us Latin is less popular now.
2.Many experts in America agree that _______.
A. Mandarin is becoming more beneficial than Latin
B. Mandarin is very difficult to learn for most American students
C. Mandarin will be of some help to American students in the global economy
D. China is a competitor of America in culture
3.Why does Mandarin become so popular in America?
A. Because Mandarin is more interesting than Latin.
B. Because there are many good teachers in the Confucius Institutes.
C. Because Mandarin is very helpful in the global economy.
D. Because the Chinese government has tried his best.
4.From the passage we know that the Confucius Institutes _______.
A. have trained 100,000 students to learn Mandarin in America
B. provide professional development programs for teachers
C. have been established in many states in America
D. were founded in 2007
5.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. An increasing number of students in America are learning Mandarin.
B. Confucius Institutes have been established in many states in America.
C. Latin is less popular in America now.
D. China now is becoming a growing power.
Being a senior high school student, my future is always on my mind. To be exact, thoughts of the future have kept me up countless nights and made me worry enough to do poorly on more than one test. Because of this, words of wisdom are a source of comfort. Steve Jobs gave a speech to Stanford’s graduating class in 2005 and his words resound repeatedly in my mind whenever I think about my future.
It started when I became a junior, when college came into view. It’s the first big step to making your life your own. So when Jobs discussed his life as a student, some fears were eased. He also felt the need to attend college to make something of himself. He faced what many are extremely afraid of: uncertainty. His lack of understanding caused him to stop attending college and focus on what he felt was important. His story had a happy ending, of course, since he certainly turned out well.
This doesn’t mean that students shouldn’t attend college, but rather that they shouldn’t worry so much. You'll get where you need to go, even if your path is a bit more winding than you'd like.
Jobs talked about the hardships in his work. His love of his work helped him carry on and he got where he was meant to be, which restates the point: don’t panic. One particular part of his speech stayed with me. Steve Jobs quoted the saying “Stay hungry, stay foolish” and it has become my motto. Staying foolish is realizing that you are still a fool, no matter how much you've learned or experienced. There is always more to explore. Staying hungry is wanting to find those things about which you are still uneducated.
Steve Jobs’ level of success is possible to achieve, and I aim to prove that. With the will power to go into the world living every day like it’s my last and allowing the future to take care of itself, I will do great things. In the last moments of my life, I’ll be proud of what I have done and hope to have all the wisdom a person could wish for.
1.The author felt worried when_______.
A. he had to take tests at school
B. he had lots of sleepless nights
C. he thought about his future
D. he searched for words of wisdom
2.It is suggested in Paragraphs l and 2 that________.
A. the author is a college student
B. the author cares much about his future
C. Steve Jobs failed because of his decision
D. Steve Jobs' words had no effect on the author
3.What did the author gain from Jobs’ speech?
A. Courage to drop out of school
B. Confidence in defeating Jobs.
C. Interest in computer industry.
D. Bravery to face uncertainties.
4.Which of the following suggestions was NOT mentioned in Job’s speech ?
A. Being content with what they know.
B. Having the desire to learn more.
C. Staying calm in the face of hardships
D. Being modest so as to learn more.
5.The passage is mainly about_______.
A. an experience of a speech
B. the most impressive quotation in life
C. a memorable meeting with Jobs
D. the wisdom drawn from a speech
An Israeli law banning too skinny models went into effect with the start of 2013. The law, approved last March in Israel, requires models to prove they have maintained a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 18.5 for three months before a fashion show. That means a woman who is 5'8''tall can weigh no less than 119 pounds.
“This law is another step in the war against eating disorders,” said physician Adatto. “Underweight models,” he explained, “can no longer serve as role models for innocent young people who copy their false image of being skinny.”
But some critics in this country say it is misguided, focusing on weight instead of health. They also say the Israeli ban is bound to fail because of the strong power of the fashion industry. “I think it’s an approach that isn’t going to work.” Said eating disorder expert Susan Ice, who worked with an organization which creates a healthy working environment for models.
But Adatto told the reporter that he began to concern the issue after meeting an ambitious model who looked like she needed to be hospitalized. He said. “I realized that only legislation can change the situation. There was no time to waste, so many girls were dieting to death.”
However, the efforts to regulate models’ weight in Spain and Italy have not resulted in significant changes in part because of difficulties in determining reliable methods of measuring weight and health.
Still, folks including Ice say there’s no denying that images from Hollywood and the fashion industry can be difficult for young women to deal with. “Certainly I don't believe the modeling industry has caused the rise in eating disorders, but it makes it harder,” she says. “It’s a difficult recovery environment, worshiping thinness as the beauty ideal.”
1.What does BMI in the first paragraph refer to?
A. A measure of body health based on height and weight.
B. A worldwide prize for the healthiest model.
C. A new show held by those skinny models.
D. A kind of medicine to cure eating disorders.
2.One benefit the new Israeli law may bring is ________.
A. to change the working conditions of models
B. to lower the chance of skinny models’ death
C. to prevent models from suffering from eating disorders
D. to provide guidance for women worshiping thinness
3.In the opinion of the critics, the law won’t succeed because .
A. it misleads young women to form a bad eating habit
B. the fashion industry is much too influential
C. it doesn’t provide a proper approach that can work well
D. it doesn’t create a healthy working environment for models
4.What caused Adatto to think that a law was needed to change the situation?
A. Establishing his fashion model agent.
B. Meeting an ambitious but too skinny model.
C. Being interviewed by a reporter.
D. Seeing a model die from eating disorders.
5.According to the passage, the new Israeli law banning skinny models is .
A.practical B.acceptable
C. reasonable D.Controversial
A 12-year old boy who donated bone marrow (骨髓) to his dying sister and has raised more than￡10,000 for charity has been named the UK’s Family Hero of the Year.
Adam Kerr, 12, from Armagh, Northern Ireland, also helps his mother care for his younger brother Brian, 9, who suffers from the genetic disease Fanconi’s anaemia (贫血症). But it is not the first hardship that has affected young Adam. When he was just six, he donated his own bone marrow to his younger sister Helen who suffered from a rare blood disorder. Sadly she developed complications and died a few months after the operation in 2005.
Adam found it very difficult to be happy after Helen’s death. So he decided to start raising money in memory of Helen to help local poor children and families with bereavement (丧亲之痛). Overall he has raised ￡10,000 and he has no intentions of giving up.
He organised a Fun Day to provide the money for a brother and sister from Northern Ireland to visit their sick brother having a bone marrow transplant in a London hospital.
He received his award and a cheque for￡2,000 at an “Oscar’s style” ceremony in London. Ms Phillips said: “Adam is an incredible young man. In his relatively short life he has faced real sadness and bad luck and yet he works tirelessly to make life better for others.”
The Awards were sponsored by the charity 4Children and Take a Break Magazine. Anne Longfield OBE, Chief Executive of 4Children said:“It’s an honour to recognise Adam’s devotion and self-sacrifice, and his bravery shows there is always reason for hope and optimism. There is so much unrecognized goodwill out there of people who do so much for others, and the inspiring winners of the Family Heroes Awards remind us how important it is for us all to do our best to make a difference in the lives of others.”
1.From the passage we can see Adam’s younger brother .
A. was too young and ill to look after himself
B. was fortunate enough to be cured
C. donated his bone marrow to his sister
D. was going to have an operation
2.Why does Adam raise money for charity?
A. Because he wants to provide money for his brother.
B. Because his sister suffered from a rare blood disorder.
C. Because he wanted to remember his sister in this way.
D. Because his mother encouraged him to do so.
3.Which of the following is probably a name of an activity?
A. A Fun Day B. the charity 4Children
C. Take a Break Magazine D. Anne Longfield OBE
4.Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The first hardship that has affected Adam is to care for Brian.
B. Adam suffers from the genetic disease Fanconi’s anaemia.
C. Adam is so tired that he wants to give up fund raising.
D. Adam is awarded for his dedication, bravery and self-sacrifice.
5.What’s the best title for the passage?
A. How to help others in trouble
B. A little boy makes a big difference to others
C. How to be a winner of the Family Heroes Awards
D. An independent young man
My wife, Kathy and I moved with our two-year-old son, Nate, to a small native village in Alaska. The small three- and four-passenger plane we took so our little boy that he took his favorite blanket and covered his head until we on the small dirt landing strips. During the months that followed, my son carried his security everywhere. He couldn’t fall asleep until he had it.
The second year, I had a chance to guest speak in Seattle. While I was for the trip, my son followed me around the room. Fine-tuning my speech in my mind, I was a little distracted. My son seemed most about my having to fly out in bad weather on one of those small planes he so much. I reassured him that I would be .
When I got to the hotel in Seattle, I didn’t have time to until later that evening, and I was when I opened my luggage and found my son’s security blanket inside. I my wife trying to find the lost blanket as she prepared our son for . I immediately to the phone to call Kathy.
When I began to explain that I had no idea how the blanket had been packed, Kathy me down with the news that she already knew where the blanket was.
She told me that she had held Nate by the window to let him me drive away from the house. She had suggested that they pray for “Daddy to have a safe .” Knowing that our son would be most the small plane ride, she prayed, “Dear Lord, please help Daddy feel on the little plane.” When the prayer was over, our son Nate his mom，“Don’t worry, Mom, I gave Daddy my blanket to keep him safe.”
1.A. attracted B. cheered C. impressed D. terrified
2.A. set about B. set down C. set in D. set out
3.A. plane B. books C. blanket D. prayer
4.A. packing B. reading C. writing D. discussing
5.A. curious B. excited C. worried D. confused
6.A. enjoyed B. feared C. prayed D. flew
7.A. fine B. happy C. hard-working D. easy
8.A. call B. rest C. unpack D. examine
9.A. shocked B. satisfied C. amused D. disappointed
10.A. thought B. pictured C. talked D. hated
11.A. gladly B. sincerely C. hurriedly D. desperately
12.A. food B. school C. bed D. work
13.A. asked B. rushed C. ordered D. walked
14.A. accidentally B. inaccurately C. deliberately D. casually
15.A. let B. calmed C. took D. blew
16.A. bless B. think C. watch D. check
17.A. speech B. hotel C. job D. trip
18.A. afraid of B. tired of C. worn out D. interested in
19.A. wonderful B. excellent C. safe D. great
20.A. annoyed B. answered C. pleased D. comforted
I won’t mind the heat in Greece ______ I won’t have to move about much.
A. because B. unless
C. while D. although
