阅读理解

  For the kids in the Martin family, the usual morning ritual of getting ready for school and onto the school bus is a foreign concept.They live as if school didn't exist.They're at home all day, but they're not being homeschooled.They're being “unschooled”.There are no textbooks, no tests and no formal education at all in their work.

  It's a philosophy that makes sense to a small but growing number of parents.Unschooling is legal in many states, and now there are at least 150,000 unschooled families nationwide.

  “Just picture life without school.We wake up, and have breakfast, and we just start pursuing what we're interested in,” said Dayna Martin, a mother of four in Madison, N.H.

  Martin doesn't believe her kids need to go to school to learn their ABCs.It's part of a radical(彻底的)new approach to education and parenting." I just personally don't believe that humans learn best when they're trying to learn something that somebody else is telling them to," she said.And her hands-off(不干涉的)approach extends to other areas of the children's lives.The kids are allowed to eat whatever they want as long as it is in the house.

  What's more, they make their own decisions, and don't have chores or rules.“Because I don't punish them, and I don't use the term rules,” Martin said.“Sometimes people come over and spend time with us, family or friends.They'll ask me, ‘How do your kids learn if they're having fun all day?' So they don't equate learning with fun,” she said.“Whatever they're interested in, I try to bring as much of that into their life as possible with as many resources as possible.”

  Martin said she has “such a present-based mind-set” that she doesn't think about her kids' futures, and that she just wants them to be happy.

(1)

What is the main idea of the passage?

[  ]

A.

It mainly introduces us a new way of education in Martin's family-unschooling.

B.

It mainly compares the new way of education - unschooling with the traditional way of education.

C.

It mainly introduces us the disadvantages of the traditional way of learning.

D.

It mainly introduces us Martin family.

(2)

The underlined sentence in the first paragraph implies that ________.

[  ]

A.

the Martin family are living in a foreign country

B.

the Martin family live in a place where there is no school

C.

Martin's kids don't need to go to school at all

D.

Martin's kids don't have to go to school on time

(3)

What can we learn from the fifth paragraph?

[  ]

A.

Martin's kids enjoy a lot of freedom at home.

B.

Martin is very strict with her kids.

C.

Martin gives classes to her kids at home.

D.

Martin's kids don't like learning at all.

(4)

Martin cares most about her kids' ________.

[  ]

A.

future

B.

health

C.

education

D.

happiness

(5)

What do we know about the author's attitude towards unschooling?

[  ]

A.

He thinks it suits most families.

B.

He thinks it should be stopped.

C.

He believes it can benefit the kids in many ways.

D.

He doesn't give his own personal opinion.

Inventors are always looking for ways to make our lives easier, greener and a whole lot more fun. Take a look at the following breakthroughs in science and technology. What in the world will inventors dream up next?
Superhero Suit
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a superhero? Dream no more. There’s a real Iron Man suit, XOS 2, which instantly transforms the person wearing it. The suit provides the power to lift 200 pounds with ease and break slabs(厚片)of wood with a single karate chop. It was designed to help the military with heavy lifting. One person in the suit could do the work of three soldiers.
Up, Up and Away!
It took him 30 years to develop it, and now Glen Martin’s invention is ready to take off. The Martin Jetpack allows its operator to fly 8,000 feet into the air. Unfortunately, you can’t soar through the skies too long. The jetpack holds only 30 minutes’ worth of fuel. The aircraft will sell for $100,000.
Hardworking Robot
The EMIEW2 robot is the perfect office helper. Need a document delivered? No problem! It can also guide visitors to their destinations. The three-foot-tall robot can identify different human voices and respond to commands. One day, it may serve as a receptionist or a security guard.
Green Machine
Say goodbye to gasoline! The AirPod car runs on air power. That means this car won’t pollute the environment. A high-pressure air tank can fill the car in minutes. The three-wheeler can travel about 130 miles between fill-ups.
Beef Power
All aboard the beef train! Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer runs partly on fuel that is made from cow fat. The goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 10%. The train travels between Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Fort Worth, Texas.
Robo-Guard
EMILY is a robotic, four-foot-long buoy (救生圈). She can swim through riptides (激流) at up to 24 miles per hour. Her inventor, Tony Mulligan, says that’s 15 times as fast as human lifeguards! EMILY is powered by a tiny electric pump and operated by remote control.
【小题1】What is the disadvantage of Glen Martin’s invention?

A.It uses large amounts of fuel.B.It only flies at low altitudes.
C.It needs a big landing field.D.It has a small gas tank.
【小题2】Which of the following inventions may be popular with modern companies?
A.The EMIEW2 robot. B.EMILY.
C.XOS 2. D.The Martin Jetpack.
【小题3】How many environment-friendly inventions are mentioned in the passage?
A.One. B.Two. C.Three. D.Four.
【小题4】From the passage we learn that __________.
A.the Superhero Suit is designed for fun
B.the EMIEW2 robot can tell different human voices
C.Robo-Guard may serve as a security guard
D.the AirPod car travels far with a little gas

Inventors are always looking for ways to make our lives easier, greener and a whole lot more fun. Take a look at the following breakthroughs in science and technology. What in the world will inventors dream up next?

Superhero Suit

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a superhero? Dream no more. There’s a real Iron Man suit, XOS 2, which instantly transforms the person wearing it. The suit provides the power to lift 200 pounds with ease and break slabs(厚片)of wood with a single karate chop. It was designed to help the military with heavy lifting. One person in the suit could do the work of three soldiers.

Up, Up and Away!

It took him 30 years to develop it, and now Glen Martin’s invention is ready to take off. The Martin Jetpack allows its operator to fly 8,000 feet into the air. Unfortunately, you can’t soar through the skies too long. The jetpack holds only 30 minutes’ worth of fuel. The aircraft will sell for $100,000.

Hardworking Robot

The EMIEW2 robot is the perfect office helper. Need a document delivered? No problem! It can also guide visitors to their destinations. The three-foot-tall robot can identify different human voices and respond to commands. One day, it may serve as a receptionist or a security guard.

Green Machine

Say goodbye to gasoline! The AirPod car runs on air power. That means this car won’t pollute the environment. A high-pressure air tank can fill the car in minutes. The three-wheeler can travel about 130 miles between fill-ups.

Beef Power

All aboard the beef train! Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer runs partly on fuel that is made from cow fat. The goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 10%. The train travels between Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Fort Worth, Texas.

Robo-Guard

EMILY is a robotic, four-foot-long buoy (救生圈). She can swim through riptides (激流) at up to 24 miles per hour. Her inventor, Tony Mulligan, says that’s 15 times as fast as human lifeguards! EMILY is powered by a tiny electric pump and operated by remote control.

1.What is the disadvantage of Glen Martin’s invention?

A.It uses large amounts of fuel.               B.It only flies at low altitudes.

C.It needs a big landing field.                D.It has a small gas tank.

2.Which of the following inventions may be popular with modern companies?

A.The EMIEW2 robot.                      B.EMILY.

C.XOS 2.                                D.The Martin Jetpack.

3.How many environment-friendly inventions are mentioned in the passage?

A.One.             B.Two.              C.Three.            D.Four.

4.From the passage we learn that __________.

A.the Superhero Suit is designed for fun

B.the EMIEW2 robot can tell different human voices

C.Robo-Guard may serve as a security guard

D.the AirPod car travels far with a little gas

 

       WASHINGTON ,Jan. 21—“I want to be a builder. I want to build houses and buildings for the homeless,” said Aman Efrem ,a third-grade student from Hearst Elementary in Washington. D.C. For another student, Azalea Westray ,the dream is “that all people stop violence” and “all people love and respect one another.”

       The two were among various answers to the Washington Post’s blank filling to “My dream is…” when Americans observed the Martin Luther King’s Day Monday.

       From Atlanta to Chicago ,memorial services ,forums and rallies are held nationwide Monday to honor the advocate of peaceful resistance and equality for people of all races .

       The Wall Street in New York ,in particular ,kicked off the celebration of the Martin Luther King’s DAY on Friday in an unusual way with the leader of American’s most important civil rights group ,also chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality Roy Innis ringing the opening bell in the morning at the Nasdaq stock exchange.

       Memory of Martin Luther King’s unfulfilled dream adds fuel to the speculation(推测)on the first African American presidential hopeful ,Illinois Senator Barack Obama ,as the 2008 presidential primary will move to South Carolina on Jan. 26, which homes a large black population.

       Obama and two other Democratic presidential candidates ,New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and former North Caroline John Edwards ,Monday turned the memorial events into their campaign stages to persuade the black who accounts for a significant percentage of the total Democratic voters in the state.

       At the rally ,Obama echoed Martin Luther King’s “dream” and called for the end of divisions that he said has damaged the presidential contest. And Clinton, on the other hand, recalled listening to King’s speech in her childhood and reminded voters of his vision of racial equality. “The dream is nowhere fulfilled ,” she said. “Now we are called to rise up ,speak up and finally get it done.”

66.This passage mainly tells us that       .

       A.the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. has not been fulfilled until now

       B.Martin Luther King’s Day was celebrated in the U. S. on Monday

       C.everybody has his own dream ,including school children

       D.U.S presidential candidates seek support from the blacks

67.The two students mentioned in the first paragraph       .

       A.expressed their wishes in reply to an American newspaper

       B.were black children who suffered poverty and violence

       C.were asked to make a speech entitled “I have a dream”

       D.were determined to fulfill the dream of Martin Luther King Jr.

68.The Wall Street in New York       .

       A.refused to celebrate the Martin Luther King’s Day

       B.observed the Martin Luther King’s Day on Friday instead of on Monday

       C.started the celebration of the Martin Luther King’s Day in an unusual way

       D.invited Barack Obama to ring the opening bell at the stock exchange

69.It can be learned from the passage that South Carolina is the hometown of        .

       A.Martin Luther King                              B.Barack Obama

       C.many black people                               D.the U.S. president

70.At the rally ,Clinton tried to show to voters that       .

       A.she once listened to King’s speech

       B.she was for the equality among different races

       C.the “dream” has already been fulfilled

       D.she was the one who could fulfill King’s “dream”

  

It was 1963, in Paris. While walking through the fruit and vegetable market Alice Waters was struck by the display of brilliant colors, the music of farmers selling their produce, and in the middle of a great city. She felt "directly connected to the land." Chez Panisse, a Berkeley restaurant, which was founded upon Waters' ecological philosophy, has been named "The Best Restaurant in America" by both the James Beard Foundation and by Gourmet magazine, many times in the past. Only the food grown in accordance with the principles of sustainable (可持续发展的) agriculture was used in the restaurant. Menus offered nightly at Chez Panisse have consisted only of fresh ingredients, harvested in season, and purchased from local farmers.

   Alice Waters has successfully demonstrated how a restaurant can develop successfully while contributing to the general welfare of the farming community. Sharing a meal between the people was one of the wishes of Alice Waters as she would love her customers to know each other. In 1996, inspired by the Garden Project at the San Francisco County Jail(监狱), Waters decided to apply her principles to education. The project was first started at the Martin Luther King Middle School in Berkeley with the idea to transform some land near the school into a garden and, in the process, to teach local school children about food and agriculture. In 1999, over 120 people came to help plant the first cover crop, which prepared the field for farming by adding nutrients to the soil.

  The student garden staff has had several years' worth of harvest, and has started growing gardens like herb and tea. Here, agricultural practices are continually being revised and updated and every year the Schoolyard staff attends the Ecological Farming Conference in Monterey. A kitchen classroom has also been created, where students learn about main foods eaten in other parts of the world.

  "I believe that every child in this world needs to have a relationship with the land...to know how to nourish themselves...and to know how to connect with the community around them," says Waters. The middle school has become a model in itself. The students work the land and harvest the crops, while the cafeteria(食堂) buys and prepares the produce for school lunches. This program will go a long way in teaching kids to value fresh food and their own contributions. This project is sure to inspire a national change in school curricula(课程). In fact, many middle and high schools in California and Ohio have launched similar projects. In 1997, Alice Waters received the Humanitarian Award from the James Beard Foundation in recognition of her dedication and contribution towards environment. In 1999, the U.S. Department of Education Secretary, Richard Riley, honored her with a John H. Stanford "Education Hero" award.

66. It was in Paris that Alice Waters ___________.

A. made up her mind to be a farmer

B. learned about cooking delicious food

C. took a fancy to a unique food culture

D. opened Chez Panisse, a Berkeley restaurant

67. The underlined sentence in the second paragraph indicated that __________.

A. the jail authorities could make some money from the Garden Project

B. Alice Waters started the Garden Project at the San Francisco County Jail

C. Alice Waters taught the prisoners gardening at the San Francisco County Jail

D. the Garden Project was designed to transform prisoners by connecting them with the land

68.The school project is intended to ____________.

A. teach students not to waste food

B. provide students with free lunches

C. teach students agricultural knowledge

D. provide Chez Panisse with fresh food

69. Which of the following best explains why Waters was awarded the title“Education Hero”?

A. She had helped popularize healthy eating.

B. She had made great contributions to the environment.

C. Her principles had brought great benefits to farmers.

D. She had brought school children into a new relationship with land and food.

70. We can infer from the passage that       .

A. Alice Waters carried out his plan in the market.

B. Menus served were fresh ingredients, and purchased from local farmers at Chez Panisse.

C. 120 people came to help plant the crop at the Martin Luther King Middle School.

D. We can draw a conclusion that a great change in school curricula is certain to take place soon.

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