阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C 和D）中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
One day I went to a store to get some needed items for my family.
I gathered up my goodies and headed for the ________ counter, only to be ________ in the narrow aisle (通道) by a young man who ________ to be about sixteen years old. I wasn’t in a hurry, so I ________ waited for the boy to realize that I was there. It was obvious now, he was mentally ________ and a little shocked as he turned and saw me standing so ________ to him, waiting to ________. I said, “Hey Buddy, what’s your name?”
“My name is Denny and I’m ________ with my Mommy,” he responded proudly.
“Wow,” I said, “that’s a(n) ________ name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Steve. How old are you Denny?”
“How old am I now, Mommy?” he asked his mother as she slowly ________ from the next aisle. “You’re fifteen years old, Denny”. Then he headed toward the toy section.
Denny’s mom ________ me for taking the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn’t ________ look at him, much less talk to him.
I told her that it was my ________ and that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in God’s Garden; ________, “Blue Roses” are very ________ and should be appreciated ________ their beauty and distinctiveness.
You see, Denny is a Blue Rose and ________ someone doesn’t stop and ________ that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they’ve ________ a blessing from God. So, the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don’t turn your head and walk off. ________ to smile and say Hello.
1.A. customerB. checkoutC. salesmanD. office
2.A. blockedB. troubledC. metD. found
3.A. pretendedB. appearedC. declaredD. tended
4.A. slowlyB. slightlyC. kindlyD. patiently
5.A. tornB. brokenC. challengedD. wounded
6.A. closeB. friendlyC. nextD. happily
7.A. steal awayB. hurry outC. squeeze byD. break in
8.A. swimmingB. shoppingC. singingD. travelling
9.A. coolB. badC. ordinaryD. old
10.A. went awayB. walked byC. came overD. turned up
11.A. thankedB. stared atC. praisedD. chatted with
12.A. everB. stillC. yetD. even
13.A. courageB. pleasureC. habitD. faith
14.A. thereforeB. besidesC. meanwhileD. however
15.A. rareB. bigC. brightD. colorful
16.A. withB. byC. forD. in
17.A. unlessB. ifC. beforeD. after
18.A. smellB. pickC. buyD. see
19.A. wantedB. forgottenC. missedD. invited
20.A. Be braveB. Be proudC. Take it easyD. Take the time
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多于选项。
Third-Culture Kids
Did you grow up in one culture, your parents came from another, and you are now living in a totally different country? If so, then you are a third-culture kid!
The term “third-culture kid” (or TCK) was first used in the 1960s by Dr. Ruth. She first came across this phenomenon when she researched North American children living in India. Caught between two cultures, they form their very own. 1. About 90 percent of them have a university degree, while 40 percent pursue a postgraduate or doctor degree. They usually benefit from their intercultural experience, which helps them to grow into successful academics and professionals.
2. In fact many hardships may arise from this phenomenon. A third-culture kid may not be able to adapt themselves completely to their new surroundings as expected. Instead, they may always remain an outsider in different host cultures. Max, for example, experienced this feeling of strangeness throughout his life as a third-culture kid. 3. While this can be a way to create a network of friends all around the world, it can be difficult for a third-culture kid like Max to maintain close friendships and relationships.
For a third-culture kid, it is often easier to move to a new foreign country than to return to their “home” country. After living in Australia and South Korea for many years, Louis finally returned to Turkey as a teenager. But she felt out of place when she returned to the country where she was born. 4. She did not share the same values as her friends’ even years after going back home.
While a third-culture kid must let go of his/her identity as a foreigner when he/she returns, the home country can prove to be more foreign than anything he/she came across before. The peer group they face does not match the idealized(理想化的) image children have of “home”. 5.
As a part of the growing “culture”, TCKs may find it a great challenge for them to feel at home in many places.
A. This often makes it hard for them to form their own identity.
B. Yet being a third-culture kid is not always easy.
C. In general, they often reach excellent academic results.
D. However, their parents can help them see the opportunities of a mobile lifestyle.
E. Their experience abroad helps them to understand cultural differences better.
F. Additionally, making new friends and saying goodbye to old ones will at some point become routine for a third-culture kid.
G. Unlike other teens of her age, she didn’t know anything about current TV shows or fashion trends.
Parents will do anything for their children. Whether it would be the food, clothes, or the place they live, parents will always make sure their children have the best of everything. One of the biggest concerns that parents currently have is educating their children. They are faced with lots of difficulties when it comes to education for their young ones. Choices include private school, charter school, public school or homeschooling.
Fortunately for parents, there are a variety of different strategies that a parent can take in order to increase their child's skills and overall intelligence. According to Ross A. Thompson, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of California at Davis, a child's brain will actually reach 90% of its full size by the time they start kindergarten.
Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago concluded that playing a musical instrument directly affected the brain stem, the lower section of the brain. Moreover, children that learn an instrument at an early age tend to continue it when they are older. And numerous studies show that a well balanced meal is essential for a child's mental and physical health. It is recommended that parents teach their children two languages at once. Research suggests that a second language should be taught when children are in preschool. Other studies state that three to four years of age is the perfect time. Clearly, any age under four would work perfectly fine for a child.
The average child will learn how to read between kindergarten and second grade. Many parents can give their children a jump start by teaching them to read before they start school. Children could have an adequate background of the alphabet and sounds of words before attending school. This can be done by simply reading to them whenever you want. The more comfortable they get, the easier the process will be.
1.From the first paragraph, we can infer that ________.
A. parents find it hard to satisfy their kids' various demands
B. parents meet a new challenge when raising their kids
C. parents have more choices in offering education to their kids
D. parents get actively involved in the process of their kids' growth
2.What suggestion may the researchers in the passage make?
A. To train kids as early as possible.
B. To try as many means as possible.
C. To help kids develop as fully as possible.
D. To use as many available resources as possible.
3.What does the third paragraph mainly discuss about?
A. The proper time to teach children to learn languages.
B. The effective ways to help develop children's brains.
C. The vital factors to have a great effect on children's health.
D. The practical steps to arouse children’s interest in study.
4.We can replace the words “jump start” in the last paragraph with ________.
A. inspirationB. introductionC. suggestionD. promotion
In today's world of smart phones and laptops, most people have at least one time-telling thing with them. Since these digital products are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, the answer is yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is “an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function.” Many young adults think so and use their smart phones to tell time. It is said that fewer young people wear watches today than ten years ago. As a result, some people say that the watch industry is at a crossroads.
However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches redeem popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality watch that doesn’t just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers took pride in their products’ accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has changed itself into an accessory(配饰) business. And today, the image a watch conveys has become more important than the time it tells.
“Complications” — features that go beyond simple timekeeping — are an important part of a watch’s image. Today’s watches offer lots of features that meet almost any personality. These features include compasses, USB drivers, and even other functions that measure the effectiveness of golf swings!
Creativity also plays a key role in designing today’s watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don’t even look like watches. The company’s popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell time. It looks more like a fashionable bracelet than a watch.
Whether a watch conveys fashion sense, creative talent or a love of sports, consumers want their watches to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget（小玩意） in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what’s on their wrists. Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!
1.What can we know from the first paragraph?
A. As most people see, watches are out of fashion.
B. Some people feel that watches have been of no use.
C. The watch industry will close down sooner or later.
D. There are so many choices of watches for teenagers today.
2.According to the passage, what image does a watch convey nowadays?
A. It simply tells time.
B. It appeals to many teenagers.
C. It has many complex functions.
D. It has an impact on creativity and imagination.
3.Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash is mentioned in Paragraph 4 to ________.
A. show why Shinshoku watches are popular
B. advertise Shinshoku watches made by Tokyoflash
C. tell that today’s watches need more imagination
D. make a comparison between watches and bracelets
4.What may be the best title for the passage?
A. Watches Tell More Than Time
B. Japanese Watches Stand Out
C. Watch Industry Is in a Bad Situation
D. Watches Are Becoming Less Popular
I believe you can do your best. Not being the best but toughing the limits of what you’re capable of. I gained this belief from my third grade teacher, the most special, honored, trustworthy, and loved person in my life.
Mr. Myrus was always perfectly dressed and spoke with the belief that talking to eight-year-olds didn’t mean he had to sacrifice proper statements or grammars. And he was demanding but he wasn’t unreasonable or cruel. He simply felt that no matter what your best was, you should achieve it.
As luck would have it, I met him again as my eighth grade math teacher. I was not, nor ever will be, gifted in math. I remember my struggles in class. “I don’t know the answer,” I would say, “I can’t do it!” “Perhaps you don’t know the answer,” he would say quietly. “Do you think we might figure it out together? How do you know what you can do until you try?”
Mr. Myrus lived around the corner, and I would often stop by to talk while he worked in his garden. I knew there was someone who let me know that if I had really tried, that was enough.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” he’d say. “Stop blaming yourself. Did you try your best? Well, then you’re not a failure,” he often told me these words.
Mr. Myrus died in 1978. I had never thought about his death. He was too young. I felt sorry. But when I think about him now, I don’t feel so sorry. He taught me to be kind, not only to others, but to myself. He taught me my own value. He taught me about honor, about truth, and about doing my best—and that all feelings and beliefs have dignity and deserve respect. And of all the things I know, this I believe: We can’t all be “the best”, but we can, each of us, be our best, and I know that’s true because Mr. Myrus told me that.
1.What can we know about Mr. Myrus according to the passage?
A. He usually treats his students in a hard way.
B. He is responsible for his teaching and students.
C. He is a person who isn’t particular about what he wears.
D. He sometimes is cruel and unreasonable to his students.
2.The author thought he was a lucky dog because ________.
A. he had got a great belief from his teacher
B. Mr. Myrus had taught him for eight years
C. Mr. Myrus became his teacher a second time
D. he developed a good relationship with Mr. Myrus
3.It can be concluded from the third paragraph that ________.
A. the author preferred other subjects to math
B. Mr. Myrus thought it was very easy to learn math
C. the author was ashamed to admit his math was poor
D. Mr. Myrus helped the author build up his confidence
4.What can we learn by reading the passage?
A. The author hoped to live a positive life.
B. The author may have become a teacher.
C. The author liked to recall his childhood.
D. The author ended up being a man of self-confidence.
Signing up for a digital TV service provides you with access to over 200 channels from all over the globe. However, television today is dominated by adult language, making it hard for concerned families to find channels suitable for young eyes. Therefore, most movie channels are automatically removed form the list of TV channels for an entire family. The following are some good ones based on popularity on a global scale.
Discovery Channel
Discovery and its many channels can be considered as the founding father of informative channels on television. What National Geographic does in a scholastic(学术的) manner, Discovery tries to do in an entertaining manner—educating the masses about anything and everything.
Fox Family
Finding a movie channel that broadcasts pictures suitable for teenagers and kids alike is very difficult unless your service operator offers you Fox family movies. This channel screens most movies before it broadcasts them, ensuring that no movie shows unacceptable material for young eyes.
Nickelodeon
A channel very similar to Cartoon Network, it mostly shows US programs. However, their shows are sometimes a bit more mature for younger kids and better suited to kids aged 5 and up.
ABC Family
ABC started the ABC family channel in an attempt to introduce family-centered shows and serials to the public in the USA. The need for this channel was felt after ABC observed the lack of proper family type US channels.
Living
If travelling is a family hobby and better living is the motto then there is no better channel than Living. Kids can see never-seen-before sights, learning about new places while adults can practice their cooking and learn amazing things about motorbikes.
1.According to the text, most channels offered by a digital TV service ________.
A. can keep people away from TV violence
B. are welcomed by families with small children
C. are concerned about the proper use of language
D. are unsuitable for the whole family to watch together
2.Which of the following can best describe Discovery Channel?
A. Relaxing.B. Touching.C. Commercial.D. Professional.
3.If people want to know about what a traditional family is like, they can choose ________.
A. Fox FamilyB. NickelodeonC. ABC FamilyD. Living
