Getting your teen to think beyond his own immediate needs can be more difficult than cracking a nut with a plastic fork.But don't worry.It's not impossible.There are many ways to encourage your teen to care about those outside his immediate circle of friends.As he begins to have responsibility towards others, he will realize he feels even better about himself.
"Teens are thinking about career, college, and what their future might look like," explains Michelle Maidenberg, a clinical director of Westchester Group Works, a center for group treatment in New York."This is very challenging and just one of the reasons why they are so focused on their own world." Once teens participate h community service, however, they begin to look beyond their personal needs.They also learn firsthand about the challenges others face, and they experience a sense of authority as they realize they can make a real difference in others' lives.
Not sure how to convince a teen to get away from the cell phone and into a community project?Teens buy into community service when the project or program is in an area of their interest.
"Finding something in an area of interest for them keeps them motivated and inspired," Maidenberg says.For instance, if he is interested in culinary(烹饪)school, he could volunteer in a soup kitchen or bake for a project that supports families in need.Volunteer projects in your teen's area of interest will build her knowledge base as well as help others.
Parents can do their part by participating in community service themselves.Teens can learn directly from their parents that personal enjoyment is not ,all that matters.
Let teens know the benefits they will obtain.“Give them every reason in the world to volunteer," Maidenberg advises.She says that working on community service projects builds confidence."By working with others, teens improve managerial, interpersonal and communication skills.Community service helps to approach maturity when they take a step back to see the needs of other people," she adds.Another reward:service hours look great on a resume!
(1)
According to Michelle Maidenberg, it's hard to get teens to think beyond their own immediate needs partly because ________.
[ ]
A.
they care more about their circle of friends
B.
they have no interest in doing anything
C.
they have to work hard for college
D.
they are facing many challenges
(2)
The underlined phrase "buy into" in Paragraph 3 probably means ________.
[ ]
A.
agree to join in
B.
spend money on
C.
get away from
D.
are interested in
(3)
The writer mentions the benefits in the last paragraph in order to ________.
Many people like the feeling of the gentle wind in spring.Many like to see the falling leaves dancing in the wind in autumn.But sometimes, when the wind becomes a storm, it can be very destructive(毁灭性的).
A series of such storms struck the US last month and caused very serious damage and human pain.
Every year, major storms cause many problems around the world.There is nothing people can do to stop these powerful forces of nature.But new techniques are helping scientists to predict(预测)how, when, and where big storms will happen.The more exact scientists' warnings are, the better people can prepare for the storms.
Predictions are improving.“We've gotten better over the years, especially the last few years,”says Phil Klotzback, a scientist at an American university.How is a storm formed? Even if scientists know where a storm will happen, winds can suddenly change, carrying the storm to a new direction.“For a hurricane to happen, conditions have to be just right,”Klotzback says.
First, the ocean water needs to be warm enough so that it evaporates and rises into the air.As it rises, the vapor(水蒸气)cools and turns back into liquid.This process gives off heat.This produces energy like an engine that causes winds to increase.It drives the formation(形成)of a hurricane.
If wind speeds reach 40 miles per hour, the system is called a“tropical storm”(热带风暴), and it gets a name.At 75 miles per hour, it becomes a hurricane.
Hurricanes that hit the US start when a thunderstorm forms off the coast of Africa.Storms also develop over tropical waters in other parts of the world.
On average, 60 or 70 storms form off Africa every year.About 10 of them get names.There are usually about six hurricanes.Two tend to be very big, with winds of 115 miles per hour or higher.
The hurricane season lasts from June to November.Ninety percent of all hurricanes hit in August, September, and October.
(1)
According to the passage, hurricanes usually ________.
[ ]
A.
form off the coast of Africa and America
B.
travel at 40 miles per hour and get its name
C.
hit parts of the world in summer and autumn
D.
cause sea winds to rise and blow over the sea
(2)
The underlined word“evaporates”(in Paragraph 5)probably means“________”.
[ ]
A.
begins to move
B.
changes into a gas
C.
becomes hot
D.
gets lost
(3)
Which of the following about the information of a hurricane is in the correct order?
a.The ocean water evaporates and goes into the air.
b.Heat creates energy and causes winds to increase.
c.The vapor cools.
d.The ocean water is warm enough.
e.The vapor changes back into liquid.
f.This course gives out heat.
[ ]
A.
a, d, e, b, c, f
B.
a, b, c, f, d, e
C.
d, a, b, c, e, f
D.
d, a, c, e, f, b
(4)
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
[ ]
A.
One out of six or seven storms get names.
B.
Every year at least 60 storms form off Africa.
C.
The speed of the biggest two hurricanes reaches 115miles per hour.
D.
About one third of the hurricanes tend to be very big.
阅读理解
So far, scientists have named about 1.8 million living species(物种), and that’s just a small part of what probably exists on Earth.With so many plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms covering the planet, it can be tough to figure out what type of spider is crawling up your leg or what kind of bird just flew by.
A soon-to-be-launched Website might help.An international team of researchers has announced the creation of a Web-based Encyclopedia of Life(EOL).The project aims to catalogue every species on Earth in a single, easy-to-use reference guide.
To get the encyclopedia started, the creators will use information from scientific databases that already exist.And eventually, in special sections of the site, nonscientists with specialized knowledge will join.Gardeners, for example, will be able to record the dates that their flowers first bloom each year.Bird-watchers will be able to input which birds they’ve seen and where.The technology for this kind of tool has only recently become available.
As the EOL develops, you might find it useful for school projects.The site will have special pages for kids who are studying ecosystems in their neighborhoods.To make sure the encyclopedia is accurate, scientists will review much of the information added to it.People who visit the site will be able to choose to skip pages that haven’t been reviewed.
Another convenient characteristic of the EOL is that you’ll be able to pick the level of detail you see to match your interests, age, and current knowledge.If you wanted to learn about polar bears for a science class report, for example, you could use the“novice”setting to get basic information about the animals.On the“expert”setting, on the other hand.you could get much more detailed information about the history, literature, and exploration of polar bears.
It now takes years for scientists to collect all the data they need to describe and analyze species.The creators of the Encyclopedia of Life hope that their new tool will speed that process.
Keep an eye on www.eol.org.Pages will begin to go up sometime next year, and you might find them useful for your school reports.The EOL team might have the basics for all 1.8 million entries online as early as 2017.Someday, you might add your own notes.
(1)
What is implied in the last sentence of Paragraph 1?
[ ]
A.
No one can become an expert on spiders and birds.
B.
So many spiders have crawled up your leg
C.
There are far more than 1.8 million living species.
D.
Scientists have named a lot of living species
(2)
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
[ ]
A.
You can find information of all living species online in 2017.
B.
Nonscientists will be able to add their own notes to the website.
C.
The kids preparing school reports can not have access to the informat’0 n’
D.
You are not free to choose the amount of detailed information.
(3)
What does the underlined word“novice”probably mean in Paragraph 5?
[ ]
A.
Beginner.
B.
Specialist.
C.
Scientist.
D.
Pupil.
(4)
Who are the intended readers of this passage?
[ ]
A.
Students.
B.
Researchers.
C.
Bird watchers or Gardeners.
D.
People in general
(5)
What is the best title for the passage?
[ ]
A.
Exploring Polar Bears
B.
Visit Our Website Now
C.
How to Do School Projects
D.
E-book of Life.
阅读理解
Watching 3D films such as Avatar could give some viewers headaches, experts have warned.
The success of James Cameron's science-fiction blockbuster(卖座的大片), which has already taken more than $1 billion(£600 million)at the box office, is fuelling a surge in popularity for three-dimensional movies and new 3D television sets.
But prolonged viewing may result in an aching head, according to Dr Michael Rosenberg, an ophthalmology(眼科学)professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
He said:"There are a lot of people walking around with very minor eye problems, for example a minor muscle imbalance, which under normal circumstances the brain deals with naturally."
Watching a 3D movie confronts viewers with an entirely new sensory experience."That translates into greater mental effort, making it easier to get a headache," he said.
Dr Deborah Friedman, a professor of ophthalmology and neurology(神经学)at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, said:"If your eyes are a little off to begin with then it's really throwing a whole degree of effort that your brain now needs to exert.This disparity for some people will give them a headache."
Experts say there are no studies tracking how common it is to get a headache after watching a 3D film.
Rick Heineman, a spokesman for RealD, which provides 3D equipment to cinemas, said headaches and nausea were the main reasons 3D technology never took off before.
But he said new digital technology addresses many of the problems that had previously caused sore heads.
(1)
What can we learn from what Dr Michael Rosenberg said?
[ ]
A.
A lot of people prefer walking around with very minor eye problems to sitting silently watching 3D films.
B.
The brain can deal with very minor eye problems under normal circumstances naturally.
C.
A lot of people haven’t got very minor eye problems when viewing films under normal circumstances.
D.
People come into very minor eye problems and a minor muscle imbalance when watching 3D films.
(2)
What does the underlined word “prolonged” in the 3rd paragraph mean?
[ ]
A.
continuous
B.
constant
C.
regular
D.
long-time
(3)
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
[ ]
A.
It has taken less than $1 billion to make the popularity of three-dimensional movies and new 3D television sets.
B.
Watching a 3D movie leaves viewers confronted with an entirely new sensory experience.
C.
There are studies tracking how common it is to get a headache after watching a 3D film.
D.
Rick Heineman said that 3D technology would never take off headaches and nausea in future.
(4)
What’s the main idea of the passage?
[ ]
A.
The expert warns the readers not to watch 3D films because of resulting in an aching head.
B.
New digital technology gives viewers headaches and eye problems.
C.
The experts are studying how to get rid of many of the problems that have previously caused sore heads.
D.
Viewing 3D films may result in some side-effect problems such as headaches.