In 1974, after filling out fifty applications, going through four interviews, and winning one offer, I look what I could get — a teaching job at what I considered a distant wild area: western New Jersey. My characteristic optimism was alive only when I reminded myself that I would be doing what I had wanted to do since I was fourteen 一 teaching English.

School started, but I felt more and more as if I were in a foreign country. Waa this rural area really New Jersey? My students a week off when hunting season began. I was told they were also frequently absent in late October to help their fathers make hay on the farms. I was a young woman from New York City, who thought that “Make hay while the sun shines” just meant to have a good time.

But, still, I was teaching English. I worked hard, taking lime off only to eat and sleep. And then there was my sixth-grade class 一 seventeen boys and five girls who were only six yean younger than me. I had a problem long before I knew it. I was struggling in my work as a young idealistic teacher. I wanted to make literature come alive and lo promote a love of the written word. The students wanted to throw spitballs and whisper dirty words in the back of the room.

In college I had been taught that a successful educator should ignore bad behavior. So I did, confident that, as the textbook had said, the bad behavior would disappear as I gave ray students positive attention. It sounds reasonable, but the text evidently ignored the fact that humans, particularly teenagers, rarely seem reasonable. By the time ray boss, who was also ray taskmaster known to be the strictest, most demanding, most quick to fire inexperienced teachers, came into the classroom to observe me, the students exhibited very little good behavior to praise.

My boss sat in the back of the room. The boys in the class were making animal noises, hitting each other while the girls filed their nails or read magazines. I just pretended it all wasn’t happening, and went on lecturing and tried to ask some inspiring questions. My boss, sitting in the back of the room, seemed to be growing bigger and bigger. After twenty minutes he left, silently. Visions of unemployment marched before my eyes.

I felt mildly victorious that I got through the rest of class without crying, but at my next free period I had to face him. I wondered if he would let me finish out the day. I walked to his office, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

He was sitting in his chair, and he looked at me long and hard. I said nothing. All I could think of was that I was not an English teacher; I had been lying to myself, pretending that everything was fine.

When he spoke, he said simply, without accusation, “You had nothing to say to them.”

“You had nothing to say to them," he repeated. “No wonder they’re bored. Why not get to the meal of the literature and stop talking about symbolism. Talk with them, not at them. And more important, why do you ignore their bad behavior?” We talked. He named ray problems and offered solutions. We role-played. He was the bad student, and I was the forceful, yet, warm, teacher.

As the year progressed, we spent many hours discussing literature and ideas about human beings and their motivations. He helped me identify my weaknesses and my strengths. In short, he made a teacher of me by teaching me the reality of Emerson's words: “The secret to education lies in respecting the pupil.”

Fifteen years later I still drive that same winding road to the same school. Thanks to the help I received that difficult first year, the school is my home now.

55. It can be inferred from the story that in 1974 ______.

A. the writer became an optimistic person

B. the writer was very happy about her new job

C. it was rather difficult to get a job in the USA

D. it was easy to get a teaching job in New Jersey

56. According to the passage, which of the following is most probably the writer’s problem as a new teacher?

A. She had blind trust in what she learnt at college.

B. She didn’t ask experienced teachers for advice.

C. She took too much time off to eat and sleep.

D. She didn’t like teaching English literature.

57. What is the writer’s biggest worry after her taskmaster's observation of her class?

A. She might lose her teaching job.

B. She might lose her students’ respect.

C. She couldn’t teach the same class any more.

D. She couldn’t ignore her students’ bad behavior any more.

58. Which of the following gives the writer a sense of mild victory?

A. Her talk about symbolism sounded convincing.

B. Her students behaved a little better than usual.

C. She managed to finish the class without crying.

D. She was invited for a talk by her boss after class.

59. The students behaved badly in the writer's classes because ______.

A. they were eager to embarrass her

B. she didn't really understand them

C. they didn't regard her as a good teacher

D. she didn’t have a good command of English

60. The taskmaster’s attitude towards the writer after his observation of her class can be best described as ______.

A. cruel but encouraging                        B. fierce but forgiving

C. sincere and supportive                       D. angry and aggressive

Easter(复活节) is still a great day for worship, randy in baskets and running around the yard finding eggs, but every year it gets quite a bit worse for bunnies.
And no, not because the kids like to pull their ears. The culprit is climate change, and some researchers found that rising temperatures arc having harmful effects on at least five species of rabbit in the US.
Take the Lower Keys March rabbit, for instance. An endangered species that lives in the Lower Florida Keys, this species of cottontail is a great swimmer — it lives on the islands! — but it is already severely affected by development and now by rising levels. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, an ocean level rise of only 0. 6 meters will send these guys jumping to higher ground and a 0.9-meter rise would wipe out their habitat (栖息地) completely.
The snowshoe hare, on the other hand, has a color issue. Most of these rabbits change their fur color from white in the wintertime to brown in the summer, each designed to give them better cover from predators(捕食者).  As the number of days with snow decreases all across the country, however, more and more bunnies arc being left in white fur during brown dirt days of both fall and spring, making them an easier mark for predators. Researchers know that the color change is controlled by the number of hours of sunlight, but whether the rabbit will be able to adapt quick enough to survive is a big question. The National Wildlife Federation has reported that hunters have noticed their numbers are already markedly down.
American pikas or rock rabbits, a relative of rabbits and hares, might be the firs' of these species to go extinct due to climate change. About 7-8 inches long, pikas live high in the cool, damp mountains west of the Rocky Mountains. As global temperatures rise, they would naturally migrate (迁徙) to higher ground — but they already occupy the mountaintops. They can't go any higher. The National Wildlife Federation reports that they might not be able to stand the new temperatures as their habitat beats up.
The volcano rabbit has the same problem. These rabbits live on the slopes of volcanoes in Mexico, and recent studies have shown that the lower range of their habitat has already shifted upward about 700 meters, but there are not suitable plants for them to move higher, so they are stuck in the middle. Scientists are concerned about their populations.
Native to the US, pygmy rabbits weigh less than 1 pound and live in the American West. They are believed to be the smallest rabbits in the world. Their habitats have been destroyed by development. Several populations, such as the Columbia Basin pygmy, almost went extinct and were saved by zoo breeding programs. Pygmy rabbits also rely on winter cover by digging tunnels through the snow to escape predators, but lesser snowfall is leaving them exposed.
All of this gives new meaning to dressing up in a giant bunny costume this Easter.
【小题1】The writer mentions Easter at the beginning of the passage in order to_______.

A.show the importance of Easter Day
B.introduce the issue about bunnies
C.remind people of Easter traditions
D.discuss the relationship between Easter and bunnies
【小题2】The word "culprit" ( Paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to______.
A.criminalB.judgeC.victimD.producer
【小题3】According to the passage, some rabbits can now be easily Uncovered by predators because they_______
A.are exposed lo more skillful hunters
B.have moved to habitats with fewer plants
C.haven't adapted themselves to climate change
D.can't change their fur color into white in the fall and the spring
【小题4】The problem faced by volcano rabbets and rock rabbits is that________.
A.both are affected by 1ess snow
B.both are affected by rising sea levels
C.neither can find enough food
D.neither can migrate to higher places
【小题5】Which best describes the writer's tone in the postage?
A.Approving.B.Concerned.C.Enthusiastic.D.Doubtful.

Holidays are really important. Many of us will have childhood memories of summer holidays where we were taken away from home to experience new environments and learn in different ways.
But holidays are expensive and, for those on low wages or living on benefits, they are often unobtainable. Even the cheapest holidays require travel and other additional costs that are difficult for many families to meet.
For working parents, the long summer break can be a very difficult problem for childcare. When an annual leave allowance amounts to only five weeks, there is a need to spread this across the year. Couples can find themselves taking leave in turn in order to care for children who are on holiday. For some ’ this makes even an affordable family holiday difficult.
The schools that I visit in Nottingham are full of experienced staff committed to giving our children a caring and inspiring learning environment. The number of children receiving free school meals is quite large in Nottingham and many schools have breakfast clubs to make sure that children get a healthy start to the day. Most schools undertake programs of group or individual educational support. Schools also have an important role in sofeguaiding children's welfare through the ongoing touch and support with their pupils. During the long summer holidays, much of this is missed.
While teachers are holidaying in the UK, many of their pupils spend the whole six weeks on the street where they live. The lack of free school meals for six weeks can result in pressure on a family budget and an inability to afford the inspiring experiences that help children to continue their learning.
In setting out its plans for a five-term year, Nottingham City Council (委员会)is seeking to reduce the summer holiday down lo four and a half weeks, with a more balanced five terms of roughly eight weeks, each followed by a two-week break. We believe this will give real “down time" for school staff and pupils alike but will be short enough not to cause a real break in learning.
We acknowledge that this change may be difficult for some school staff, particularly whose own children are educated in other authorities. However, this must be weighed against the benefits for city children for whom we all have the greatest duty of care.
【小题1】 The passage is probably written by   .

A.an experienced teacherB.a working parent
C.an inspired studentD.a city council member
【小题2】The underlined word "they" in the second paragraph refers to "  ’.
A.environmentsB.holidaysC.wagesD.benefits
【小题3】It is suggested in the passage that the summer break be reduced to.
A.2 weeksB.4.5 weeksC.5 weeksD.6 weeks
【小题4】The plans for a shorter summer holiday will help students_____ .
A.obtain the cheapest holidays without additional costs
B.get a chance to spend six weeks a term with teachers in school
C.benefit more from the caring and inspiring learning environment
D.have more school days to receive free school meals
【小题5】It can be inferred from the passage that   _______.
A.working parents can enjoy a five-week break to care for their children
B.the suggested plans for a five-term school year can hardly be carried out
C.the long summer holiday gives teachers and students real "down time"
D.some school staff will say “ No" to the plans for a shorter summer holiday

阅读理解
     The global energy crisis is approaching. What can we do? Here are some steps you can take.
     Cooling puts the greatest stress on your summer energy bill and the power grid (电网 ). Just as a
tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system
can improve efficiency and comfort. Clean or replace filter monthly or as needed.
     For central air conditioning systems and room air conditioners , look for the ENERCY STAR, the
federal government's symbol for energy efficiency. For central air, purchase the system with the highest
possible Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratia( SEER) .
     Use energy-efficient ceiling fans either alone or with air conditioning. Ceiling fans do a great job of
circulating air. When used with air conditioning , fans allow you to raise the thermostat (恒温器)  and
cut costs. Ceiling fans cool people, not rooms. so before you leave; tum off the ceiling fan.
     Let a  programmable  thermostat  " remember  for  you "  to automatically adjust the indoor climate
with your daily and weekend patterns to reduce cooling bills by up to 10 percent. You can come home
to a comfortable house without wasting energy and creating
pollution all day while you are at work.
     Try to make your home airtight enough to increase your comfort, make your home quieter and
cleaner and reduce your cooling costs up to 20 percent.
     Cut your air conditioning load, and reduce pollution by planting leafy trees around your home and
fixing reflective bricks on your roof.
     Close blinds or shades on south-and west-facing windows during the day , or fix shading equipment
to avoid  heat build-up.    Turn off  everything  not  in  use: lights, TVs, computers.  And  use fluorescent
bulbs(荧光灯),which provide bright,warm light while using
at least two-thirds less energy, producing 70 percent less beat and lasting up t0 10 times longer than
incandescent bulbs(白炽灯).
     Drive the car that gets better gas mileage whenever possible if you own more than one vehicle. If
you drive 12,500 miles a year, switching 10 percent of your trips from a car that gets 20 miles per gallon
to one that gets 30 mpg will save you more than $65 per year.
    Carpool. The  average  US  commuter(乘车上班族)   could  save about $260 a year by sharing cars
twice a week with two other people in a car that gets 20. 1 mpg-assuming the three passengers share the
cost of gas.
1. According to the passage , the thermostat is used to_________.
A. make rooms quieter
B. control room temperature
C. turn off the air conditioner
D. reduce room air pollution
2. We can conclude from the passage that the author probably discourages__________. 
A. planting leafy trees around your home
B. turning off the ceiling fan befo you leave your house
C. keeping your south-facing windows open during the day
D. using fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs
3. According to the passage,you can save fuel by_______.   
A. using energy-efficient ceiling fans
B. sharing cars with others on workdays
C. turning off everything not in use
D. reducing lO%  of your car trips every year
4. This passage is mainly about_________.  
A. energy-saving tips              
B. fuel-saving tips
C. do-it-yourself tips              
D. environment-protecting tips

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