“Time is a problem for children,” states a news report for a new Swiss watch. Children in some countries “learn time slowly” because “they don’t wear watches” and “parents don’t really know how to teach them time.” The children grow up with this handicap and become adults-and then can’t get to work on time. Is there an answer to this problem? Of course-it’s the Flick Flak, made by a famous Swiss watch company.

The Flick Flak is being marketed as something teaching watch for children aged 4 to 10. The watch itself does not teach children how to tell time, of course; it merely “takes their imagination” by presenting the “hour” hand as a beautiful red girl named Flak and the “minute” hand as a tall blue boy named Flick. Flick points to related “blue” minutes on the dial, while Flak points to “red” hour numbers. The characters and colors combined with parental help, are supposed to teach young children how to tell time.

The watch comes equipped with a standard battery and a nylon band (尼龙表带). Peter Lipkin, the United States sales manager for the Flick Flak, calls it “childproof: if it gets dirty you can throw the whole watch in the washing machine.” The product is being sold in select department stores in Europe, Asia and the United States for a suggested price of $25. Parents who buy the watch may discover that it is one thing to tell time; it’s quite another for them to be on time.

1.From the news report we know that ______.

A.parents are patient when teaching children time

B.parents have little idea of how to teach children time

C.children are likely to learn time quickly

D.children enjoy wearing the Flick Flak watch

2.The author doesn’t seem to believe ______.

A.children will be on time if they have not learnt how to tell time

B.a Flick Flak can help parents teach their children how to tell time

C.the Flick Flak can take children’s imagination

D.children usually have trouble telling time if they don’t wear watches

3.The underlined word handicap (Para. 1) means ______.

A.displeasure        B.discouragement     C.disappointment     D.disadvantage

4.The United State sales manager calls the new watch “childproof” because ______.

A.it is designed to teach children to be on time

B.it proves to be effective in teaching children time

C.it is made so as not to be easily damaged by children

D.it is the children’s favorite watch

 

In America, drivers’ education is part of the regular high school curriculum. Every student in his or her second year of high school is required to take a class in driver’s education. However, unlike other courses, it is not given during the regular school year. Instead it is a summer course.?

The course is divided up into two parts: class time for learning laws and regulations and driving time to practise driving. Class time is not unlike any other class. The students have a text from which they study the basic laws they must know to pass the written driving test that is given to anyone wanting to get a driver’s license.?

Driving time is a chance for the students to get behind the wheel (steering wheel) and practice starting steering, backing up, parking, switching lanes, turning corners, and all the other maneuvers (操作) required to drive a car. Each student is required to drive a total of six hours. The students are divided up into groups of four. The students and the instructor go out driving for two hour blocks of time. Thus, each student gets half an hour driving time per outing. The instructor and “driver” sit in the front seats and the other three students sit in the back.?

Drivers Ed cars are unlike other cars in which they have two sets of brakes, one on the driver’s side and one on the other side where the instructor sits. Thus, if the student driver should run into difficulties the instructor can take over. The car also has another special feature. On the top of the car is a sign that reads: STUDENT DRIVER. That lets nearby drivers know that they should use extra caution(小心) the student driver is a beginning driver, not very experienced and prone to driving slowly.?

After the student has passed the driver’s education course and reached the appropriate age to drive (this age differs in every state but in most cases the person must be 16 years old), they can go to a designated state office to take their driver’s test, which is made up of an eye examination, a written test, and a road test. The person must pass all three tests in order to be given a driver’s license. If the person did well in his or her driver’s education class, he or she will pass the test with flying colors and get a driver’s license.?

1. In America, the driver’s course mentioned above___________.

A. is considered as part of the advanced education?

B. is given to anyone wanting to get a driver’s license?

C. is carried on at the same time as other courses?

D. is offered to all the students of Grade 2 in high schools

2. To prevent accidents, a drivers Ed car______________.?

A. has a sign inside it                                B. has two sets of brakes?

C. is big enough to hold five persons           D. can’t run very fast

3. We can infer that the students are required to ______ in their whole driving practice.

A. go out driving for twelve times                     B. spend at least six hours driving?

C. drive for two hour blocks of time           D. get half an hour driving

4. Which of the following does not agree with the requirements for the students wanting to get their driver’s license? ?

A. They must be 16 years of age

B. They should go to have their driver’s test

C. They must have their eyes examined

D. They ought to do well in their driver’s course

5 In the last sentence, “with flying colors” means______________.?

A. happily                                                B. successfully           

C. colorfully                                                D. quickly

      

There is famous story about British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.He was writing a poem when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.

This was an age before telephones.Someone was delivering a message.When Colcridge got back to his poem, he had lost his inspiration.His poetic mood had been broken by the knock on his

door.His unfinished poem, which could otherwise have been a masterpiece, would now never be more than a fragment(碎片,片段).

This story tells how unexpected communication can destroy an important thought, which brings us to the cell phone.

The most common complaint about cell phones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them.But marc damaging may be the cell phone’s disruption of our thoughts.

We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our call phones, and this is by and large a healthy, productive development." I didn't hear it ring" or " I didn't realize my cell phone had shut off" arc among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we’re beyond reach.

The notion or idea of being unreachable is not a new concept-we havoc "Do Not Disturb" signs on the doors of hotel rooms. So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cell phones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while?

The problem is that we come from a long-established tradition of difficulty with distance communication.Until the recent mass deployment of cell phones, it was easy to communicate with someone next to us or a few feet away, but difficult with someone across town, the country or the

globe.We came to take it for granted.

But cell phones make long-distance communication common, and endanger our time by ourselves.Now time alone, or conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished.Even cell phone devotees, myself usually included, can't help at times wanting to throw their cell phone away, or curse the day they were invented.

But we don't and won't, and there really is no need.All that's required to take back our private time is a general social recognition that we have the right to it.

In other words, we have to develop a healthy contempt for the rings of our phones.Given the case of making and receiving cell phone calls, if we don-t talk to the caller right now, we surely will shortly later.

A cell phone call deserves no greater priority than a random word from a person next to us.Though the call on my cell phone may be the one-in-a-million from Steven Spielberg-who has  finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie.But most likely it is not, and I'm better

off thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the pizza I’ll eat for lunch.

1.What's the point of the anecdote about poet Coleridge in the first three paragraphs?

A.To direct readers' attention to the main topic.

B.To show how important inspiration is to a poet.

C.To emphasize the disadvantage of not having a cell phone.

D.To encourage readers to read the works of this poet.

2.What does the writer thinks about people telling "white lies" about their cell phones?

A.It is a way of signaling that you don-t like the caller.

B.It is natural to tell lies about small things.

C.It is basically a good way to protect one's privacy.

D.We should feel guilty when we can't tell the truth.

3.According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cell phones?

A.People get so bothered by the cell phone rings that they fail to notice anything else.

B.People feel guilty when they are not able to answer their cell phones.

C.Cell phones interrupt people’s private time.

D.With cell phones it is no longer possible to be unreachable.

4.What does the underlined word “contempt” probably mean?

A.Habit.

B.Disrespect.

C.Like.

D.Value.

5.What does last paragraph suggest?

A.A person who calls us from afar deserves more of our attention.

B.Steven Spielberg once called the author to talk about the author’s novel.

C.You should always finish your lunch before you answer a call on the cell phone.

D.Never let cell phones interfere too much with your life.

 

Since the 1950s, most of the stars of pop music have come from Britain and America. However, in the last ten years, when many different kinds of music have established themselves on the pop scene, more and more stars have come from other countries.

    Pop music changes all the time and new stars appear and become famous. For a musician to stay popular and still produced good, original music over a long period of time, is a sign of true star.

Most stars start their careers in a simple way---playing in unknown night clubs or dance-hall where people want to dance to the music, not listen to it. They may have continued doing this for many years until they get a “break”---a chance to perform in a well–known place or get a recording contract. To become a star is the aim of every singer or musician and the dream of many a pop-crazy teenager.

However a group or star makes it to the top, they can be sure that their lives will change once they are successful. Ordinary teenagers living at home with their parents may suddenly find themselves rich enough to buy their own houses. An established superstar may be able to buy several.

Despite the large amount of money that are earned, life at the top is not easy for many stars. The pop scene is hard work and many stars need to spend a lot of time away from home. For a lot of them, this means they have no home life and their personal relationships suffer. Despite great public success, life at the top can be very lonely.

1.Since the 1950s, most of the stars of pop music have come from _________.

A. America     B. America and Britain    C. America and Europe    D. other countries

2.According to the passage, a “break” may mean a chance to ______.

perform in a well-known concert

C. play in dance-halls      B. get a recording contract

D. meet a lot of pop-crazy teenagers

3.If a star becomes successful, he ______ according to the passage.

A. will have an easy life because of the larger amount of money earned

B. may have a happy home life and good person relationships

C. will live at home with their parents    D. may have a lonely life

 

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