Many people think that teachers give pupils too much homework．They say that it is unnecessary for children to work at home in their free time．Moreover, they argue that most teachers do not1. （proper）plan the homework tasks they give to pupils．The result is that pupils have to repeat tasks that they2. （do）at school already．
In Greece，many parents complained about the difficult homework that teachers gave to their children．The parents said that most of the homework was 3. waste of time，and they wanted to stop it．Spain and Turkey are two countries4. stopped homework．In Denmark，Germany and several other 5. （country）in Europe，teachers cannot set homework at weekends．In Holland，teachers allow pupils 6. （stay）at school to do their homework．The children are free to help one another．Similar 7. （arrange）also exists in some British schools．
Most people agree that homework is not fair．A pupil doing his homework in a quiet and comfortable room is in a much 8. （good）position than a pupil who does his homework in a small，9. （noise）room with the television on．Some parents help their children with their homework．Other parents take no interest 10. their children’s homework at all．
What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange and red? 1. ．Do you prefer grey and blue? Then you are probably quiet, shy, and you would rather follow than lead．You tend to be a pessimist（悲观主义者）．At least，this is what psychologists tell us，and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference，as well as the effect that colors have on human beings．2. ．If you happen to love brown，you did so，as soon as you opened your eyes，or at least as soon as you could see clearly．
3. ．On the one hand，a yellow room makes most people feel more cheerful and more relaxed than a dark green one；and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the coldest winter day．4. ．A black bridge over the Thames River, near London．used to be the scene of more suicides（自杀）than any other bridge in the area—until it was repainted green．The number of suicide attempts immediately fell sharply．Perhaps it would have fallen even more if the bridge had been done in pink or baby blue．
5. ．It is self-evident that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey．
A．On the other hand，black is depressing．
B．The rooms are painted in different colors as you like．
C．They tell us that we do not choose our favorite color as grow up—we are born with our preference．
D．If you do，you must be an optimist（乐观主义者），a leader or an active person who enjoys life．
E．Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active．
F．Life is like a picture or a poem，full of different colors．
G．Colors do influence our moods—there is no doubt about it
I had the meanest mother in the world． other kids ate candy, I had to have cereal（谷物食品），eggs or toast．While others had cakes and French fries，I had to eat a sandwich．But at least，I wasn’t in my suffering．My sisters and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did．
My mother knowing where we were at all times and who our friends were ．She insisted if we said we’d be gone an hour, then we be gone one hour or —not one hour and one minute．She made us wear the clothes made by herself，just to money．Now you can see how she was．
The is yet to come．We had to be in bed by 9：00 each night and at 7：45 the next morning．We had to wash dishes． beds，and learn to cook．I believe she lay at night thinking up mean things to do to us．
Through the years，things didn’t a bit．We could not lie in bed，pretending to be“ ”like our friends did to miss school．Our friends’ report cards had beautiful colors on them，black for passing，red for ．My mother, ，would only be content with black marks．
As the years by，we graduated from high school．Out of the four children，a couple of us higher education than university level．With our mother us pushing and demanding， of us was allowed to drop out of school．She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults．
Now I'm trying to my three children．I'm filled with when my children call me mean．Because，you see，I thank God，he gave me the meanest mother in the whole world．
1.A．While B．As C．Unless D．If
2.A．weak B．alone C．happy D．lucky
3.A．replied to B．went on C．insisted on D．took up
4.A．not B．more C．so D．less
5.A．make B．collect C．save D．get
6.A．funny B．mean C．kind D．interesting
7.A．worst B．best C．least D．last
8.A．off B．away C．up D．out
9.A．make B．arrange C．place D．fold
10.A．active B．asleep C．alive D．awake
11.A．develop B．improve C．happen D．assess
12.A．sick B．sad C．honest D．ambitious
13.A．success B．progress C．courage D．failure
14.A．however B．otherwise C．besides D．moreover
15.A．came B．pulled C．went D．filled
16.A．attended B．wanted C．attained D．approached
17.A．before B．in C．about D．behind
18.A．none B．all C．both D．neither
19.A．raise B．meet C．change D．bring
20.A．apology B．pride C．shame D．anger
Do you sleep well? Some people get off to sleep as soon as the head hits the pillow, but many others are not so lucky．In fact，the lack of quality sleep has become a public health issue around the world．According to the World Association of Sleep Medicine，45 percent of the world’s population suffer from sleep problems．One in eight people don’t sleep well and are easily woken．7．6 percent sleep less than 3 hours each night．Some even can not fall asleep for several days in a row．
As a basic bodily and mental need，sleep is essential for our survival．It helps us to fight diseases，strengthen our memory, perform better in work and school and improve our quality of life．Lack of sleep is known to have a significant negative influence on health，both in the short and long term．Poor sleep has been associated with obesity, weakened immune systems and even some cancers，as well as depression and anxiety．
The World Sleep Day, held on the third Friday of March，is an annual celebration of sleep to lighten the burden of sleep problems through better prevention and management of sleep disorders．
Unhealthy lifestyle may be the first to blame for sleeplessness．More and more people use cellphones and computers in bed，with many staying up until midnight．Modern technology does make our life convenient，but abuse of it ruins our health．Environmental conditions，such as temperature，noise，light，bed comfort also play an important role in one’s ability to get proper sleep．Besides，improper evening diet，like a full or an empty stomach，coffee and alcohol all contribute to sleep problems．Of course，when it comes to causing poor sleep stress from finances，family or work should never be ignored．
However, those who suffer from sleep disorders don’t necessarily have to continue to do so—most sleep problems can be solved．
1.What can be inferred from Paragraph 1 ？
A．Nobody can stay awake for several days．
B．All people are going through sleep problems．
C．Sleep problems have become a worldwide concern．
D．The majority of the world’s population can’t sleep well．
2.What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us?
A．The influences of lack of sleep．
B．The possible causes of poor sleep．
C．Poor sleep is associated with illness．
D．Good sleep helps us to perform better．
3.What will be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
A．The harm of sleep problems．
B．Activities on the World Sleep Day．
C．Interviews of poor sleep sufferers．
D．Measures against sleep problems．
American cities are similar to other cities around the world．In every country, cities reflect the values of the culture．American cities are changing，just as American society is changing．
After World War II，the population of most large American cities decreased；however, the population in many Sun Belt cities increased．In the late 1940s and early 1950s，city residents became wealthier．They had more children so they needed more space．They moved out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes．They bought houses in the suburbs（郊区）．
Now things are changing，the children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults．Many, unlike their parents，want to live in the cities．They continue to move to Sun Belt cities and older ones of the Northeast and Midwest．Many young professionals are moving back into the city．They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there；or they just enjoy the excitement and possibilities that the city offers．
This population shift（迁移）is bringing problems as well as benefits．Countless poor people must leave their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for sale instead of for rent．In the 1950s，many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs；now many of these same people do not have enough money to stay in the cities．
Only a few years ago，people thought that the older American cities were dying．Some city residents now see a bright，new future．Others see only problems and conflicts．One thing is sure：many dying cities in America are alive again．
1.What does the author think of cities all over the world?
A．They are dying． B．They are hopeless．
C．They are similar． D．They are different．
2.Why did American city residents want to live in the suburbs after World War II?
A．Because older American cities were dying．
B．Because they were richer and needed more space．
C．Because cities contained the worst parts of society．
D．Because they could hardly afford to live in the city．
3.According to the 4th paragraph，a great many poor people in American cities____．
A．are faced with housing problems
B．are forced to move back to the suburbs
C．want to sell their buildings
D．need more money for daily expenses
4.We can conclude from the text that_________________．
A．American cities are changing for the worse
B．people have different views on American cities
C．older people prefer the city to the suburbs in America
D．the population is decreasing in older American cities
Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers．But last summer，Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son：suddenly he seemed to be talking more to his friends than to his parents．“The door to his room is always shut，”Joanna noted．
Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter．“She used to cuddle up（蜷伏）with me on the sofa and talk，”said Mark．“Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something．Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady．The problem is figuring out which time is which．”
Before age 11，children like to tell their parents what’s on their minds．“In fact，parents are first on the list，”said Michael Riera，author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers．“This completely changes during the teen years，”Riera explained．“They talk to their friends first，then maybe their teachers，and their parents last．”
Parents who know what’s going on in their teenagers’ lives are in the best position to help them．To break down the wall of silence，parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say，and try to find ways to talk and write to them．And they must give their children a mental break，for children also need freedom，though young．Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend，not a manager，with their children is a better way to know them．
1.“The door to his room is always shut”suggests that the son________．
A．is always busy with his studies
B．is angry with his parents
C．keeps himself away from his parents
D．begins to dislike his parents
2.What troubles Tina and Mark most is that_______．
A．their daughter isn’t as lovely as before
B．they can’t read their daughter’s mind exactly
C．they don’t know what to say to their daughter
D．their daughter has grown up so quickly
3.Which of the following best explains“the wall of silence”in the last paragraph?
A．Teenagers do not talk much with their parents．
B．Teenagers do not want to understand their parents．
C．Teenagers talk a lot with their friends．
D．Teenagers talk much about their own lives．
4.What can be learned from the passage?
A．Parents are unhappy with their growing children．
B．Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers．
C．Parents should force their children to talk with them．
D．Parents should try to understand their teenagers．
