Have you felt annoyed when a cell phone rings during the class? Something must be done to stop this. Now in New York City, USA, a rule is carried out in schools. Students can't even bring cell phones to school. Is it a good thing or not?
Anxious parents say that cell phones are an important tool in holding New York City's families together.
"I worry about it." said Elizabeth Lorris Ritter, a mother of a middle school kid. "It's necessary in our everyday life. We have a washing machine. We have running water, and we have cell phones."
Many American parents think cell phones connect them to their children on buses, getting out from subways, walking through unknown places.
"I have her call me when she gets out of school," said Lindsay Walt, a schoolgirl's mother. "No one in New York is going to let their child go to school without a cell phone."
What about the cell phone owners, the students? Most of the students said cell phones were essential and the cell phone was like an extra hand or foot for them.
"I feel so empty," said May Chom, 14. There is also no way to listen to music on the way to school without my phone. It will be a really, really boring trip."
1.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Many American parents don't think cell phones are necessary for the students.
B. Cell phones only bring troubles to the school life.
C. Cell phones connect children with their families when they are outside.
D. People cannot live without cell phones.
2.What does the underlined word "essential" mean in Chinese?
A. 时髦的 B. 必要的
C. 昂贵的 D. 受欢迎的
3.This article is about the ______ in carrying out the rule not to use a cell phone in school.
A. happiness B. interest
C. problem D. advantage
Throw out the bottles and boxes of drugs in your house. A new theory suggests that medicine could be bad for your health. This new theory argues that healing (the process of becoming healthy and strong again) is at our fingertips: we can be healthy by doing Reiki on a regular basis.
Supporters of medical treatment argue that medicine should be trusted since it is effective and scientifically proven. They say that there is no need for spiritual methods such as Reiki, Yoga, Tai Chi. These waste our time, something that is quite precious in our material world. There is medicine that can kill our pain and x-rays that show us our broken bones. We must admit that these m
ethods are very effective in the examples that they provide. However, there are some "everyday complaints" such as back pains, headaches, which are treated currently with medicine. When you have a headache, you take an Aspirin; when you cannot sleep, you take Xanax without thinking of the side effects of these. When you use these pills for a long period, you become dependent on them; you cannot sleep without them. We pay huge amounts of money but never get better. How about a safer and more economical way of healing? When doing Reiki to yourself, you do not need anything except your energy so it is very economical. Also, there are no side effects and it is scientifically explained.
They also claim that serious illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and cancer cannot be treated without drugs. They think so because these patients spend the rest of their lives in the hospital taking medicine. How can Reiki make these people healthy again? It is very unfortunate that these patients have to live in the hospital losing their hair and weight because of the side effects of the medicine they take. Actually, instead of drugs which are expensive and have many side effects, you can use your energy to overcome the hardships of life, find an emotional balance, leave the stress of everyday life and let go of the everyday worries.
Some people may still hold that in our material world, everything depends on time. How would it be possible to find time to do Reiki? In fact, Reiki does not require more than 15 minutes of our time. It is less time consuming than medicine if we think of all the time we spend taking medicine for some complaints and taking some more for the side effects as well.
1.The author's attitude towards Reiki is ______.
A. disinterested B. serious
C. positive D. doubtful
2.According to the passage, which of the statements is correct?
A. Reiki will soon become the most popular exercise around the world.
B. Reiki is an effective treatment but not scientifically explained.
C. Reiki can make people less dependent on drugs.
D. Reiki is a kind of cheap drug but works well.
3.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. A New Way of Treating Illness
B. Health and Healing at Your Fingers
C. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Reiki
D. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Medicine
Think of life as a game in which you are playing with five balls in the air. You name them work, family, health, friends and spirit and you keep all of them in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce(弹跳) back.
But the other four balls, family, health, friends and spirit, are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be broken. They will never be the same. You must understand that and try to have balance in your life. How?
Don't look down on your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different and each of us is special.
Don't let other people set goals for you. Only you know what is best for yourself.
Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
Don't be afraid of difficulties. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible. The quickest way to receive love is to give it; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.
Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is a treasure you can always carry easily.
Don't use time or words carelessly. You can't get them back. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery(秘密), and today is a gift; that's why we call it "the present". Life is not a competition, but a trip, step by step.
1.The sentence "Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying." means "_______."
A. Nothing is possible
B. If we don't give up, there is always hope
C. You should learn to give up
D. Although you try, nothing will change
2.If you run through life so fast, you will _______.
A. lose your own treasure that you can always carry easily
B. lose love by holding it too tightly
C. forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going
D. not be afraid of the difficulties
3.According to the passage, which is the best title?
A. Nothing Is Impossible B. Glass Balls Are Easy to Be Broken
C. Things You Can't Do D. Treat Your Life in a Right Way
Singapore's public transport system is one of the best in the world, so you should have no problem finding your way around like a local. There are three main forms of public transport that you would find in any other major city－trains, buses and taxis.
TRAINS
Trains run from 6:00 am to midnight. Single trip tickets start at 80 cents. If you buy an EZ-Link card for $15, you can ride the trains and buses as you like.
If you need more information, just call Transit Link on 1800 767 4333.
BUSES
There are several bus services in Singapore and fares start at 80 cents. Be sure always ask the driver the cost of your ticket as he cannot give change.
If you need help, just call Transit Link on 1800 767 4333.
TAXIS
There are three main taxi companies－City Cab (6552 2222), Comfort (6552 1111) and Tibs (6552 8888). Booking can also be easy by calling the numbers listed above.
RENTAL CARS
Driving in Singapore is a pleasure and if you like to travel at your own pace, renting a car is a good choice. Renting takes away the hassle of getting to places around Singapore. Just sit back and enjoy the city. It also means you'll get to see a lot more that a trains or a bus won't let you see.
For car rental, call Avis on +65 6737 1668.
1.By an EZ-Link card, you can take ______.
A. both buses and trains B. only trains
C. both buses and taxis D. only rental cars
2.What does the word "hassle" mean in Chinese?
A. 麻烦 B. 乐趣
C. 景点 D. 费用
3.What do you know about traveling in Singapore from the passage?
A. A local has no trouble finding his way around.
B. It's much cheaper to go around by bus than by train.
C. You can see a lot more in Singapore only by renting a car.
D. It's very convenient for visitors to travel in Singapore.
It was 3:21 a.m. when nine-year-old Glenn Kreamer awoke to the smell of burning. Except for the cracking(爆烈声) of flames somewhere below there was not a sound in the two-storey house at Baldwin Long Island.
With his father away on night duty at a local factory, Glenn was worried about the safety of his mother, his sister Karen, 14 and his 12-year-old brother Todd. He ran downstairs through the smoke-filled house to push and pull at Karen and Todd until they sat up. Then he helped each one through the house to the safety of the garden. There, his sister and brother, taking short and quick breaths and coughing, fell down onto the lawn.
The nine-year-old boy raced back into the house and upstairs to his mother's room. He found it impossible to wake her up. Mrs. Kreamer, a victim of the smoke, was unconscious(昏厥的), and there was nobody to help Glenn carry her to the garden. But the boy remained calm and, as a fireman said later, "acted with all the self-control of a trained adult."
On the bedroom telephone, luckily still working, Glenn called his father and, leaving Mr. Kreamer to telephone the fire brigade and ambulance service, got on with the task of saving his mother.
First he filled a bucket with water from the bathroom and threw water over his mother and her bed. Then, with a wet cloth around his head he went back to the garden.
He could hear the fire engine coming up, but how would the firemen find his mother in the smoke-filled house where flames had almost swallowed up the ground floor?
Grasping firmly a ball of string(线) from the garage, Glenn raced back into the house and dashed upstairs to his mother's room. Tying one end of the string to her hand, he ran back, laying out the string as he went, through the hall and back out into the garden.
Minutes later he was telling fire chief John Coughlan, "The string will lead you to mother." Mrs. Kreamer was carried to safety as the flames were breaking through her bedroom floor.
1.Why did Glenn run downstairs first?
A. He wanted to find out what was happening.
B. He was worried about his mother's safety.
C. He wanted to save his sister and brother.
D. He went to see if his father had come back from work.
2.Who called the fire brigade and ambulance service?
A. Glenn. B. Glenn's father.
C. Glenn's sister. D. Glenn's neighbor.
3.Glenn saved his family because _______.
A. his father had taught him to do so on the phone
B. he had learned something about first aid
C. he had dealt with the emergency(突发事件) calmly and wisely
D. he had followed his mother's instructions
I was 17 when I walked into Carley's bookstore in Ashland. As I was looking at_______on the shelves, the shop owner asked if I'd like_______. I needed to start________for college, so I said yes. I worked after school, and the job helped________my yearly tuition. I would work many other jobs: making coffee in the Students Union; a hotel maid and______ making maps for a company. But selling books was one of the most_______.
One day a woman asked me for books on cancer. She seemed fearful. I showed her almost everything_______ and found other books we could order. She left the store less______. I've always remembered the________I felt in having helped her.
Years later, as a _______in Los Angles, I heard about an immigrant child born ______his fingers connected. His family couldn't afford a corrective operation, and the boy lived in ______, hiding his hand in his pocket.
I_______ my boss to let me do the story. After the story was broadcast, a doctor and a nurse called, offering to perform the_______ for free.
I visited the boy soon after the operation. The first thing he did was to hold up his _______hand and said, "Thank you." I felt a sense of_______
In the past, while I was_______, I always sensed I was working for the customers, not the store. Today it's the________ Fox pays my salary,________I feel as if I work for the_______, helping them make sense of the world.
1.A. maps B. articles C. reports D. titles
2.A. a book B. some tea C. a job D. any help
3.A. planning B. saving C. preparing D. studying
4.A. pay for B. fit for C. run for D. enter for
5.A. so B. yet C. even D. still
6.A. boring B. satisfying C. surprising D. disappointing
7.A. in need B. in all C. in order D. in store
8.A. worried B. satisfied C. interested D. puzzled
9.A. surprise B. failure C. regret D. pride
10.A. doctor B. TV reporter C. bookseller D. store owner
11.A. with B. in C. by D. for
12.A. horror B. honor C. shame D. danger
13.A. advised B. persuaded C. forced D. permitted
14.A. action B. program C. treatment D. operation
15.A. repaired B. connected C. injured D. improved
16.A. humor B. interest C. pleasure D. excitement
17.A. at the TV station B. in the Students Union C. at the US Forest Service D. at Carley's bookstore
18.A. opposite B. same C. different D. right
19.A. so B. and C. but D. because
20.A. viewers B. readers C. customers D. passengers
