Early this morning, I got up to make cookies for my neighbor. But actually she hardly greeted me when we saw each other.
Last Monday, she called the firefighters when my house began to fog up while I was out. Luckily, nothing serious had happened. When I thanked her and apologized for causing the trouble, she just asked if my cats were all right and stepped into her house. I felt strangely safe, knowing that even though we don’t get along, she’d done the right thing. So, the yummy cookies.
Last winter, my neighbor carelessly let it out that she was holding a grudge towards me because of an incident we’d had four years ago. I had particularly apologized and asked if there was anything I could do to improve our relationship. She would not accept my apology.
It had taken me a lot of courage to apologize and ask that question. Her refusal to make amends (补偿) really saddened me. After that, I decided I’d just leave her be. So I was really scared she was going to refuse my offer again. I know some people have a hard time understanding how the possibility of rejection can make an adult so afraid, but that’s just the way I felt.
Then, I reminded myself of how good I had felt yesterday when I’d done some acts of kindness after telling myself: Feel the fear, and do it anyway! So I put the cookies on a beautiful plate, opened my apartment door—and there she was, standing in the hallway. But when she saw me, she went back inside. I went after her and quickly said, “I’m sorry, I’ve got something for you! I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you were paying attention on Monday.” When she heard me speaking, she turned around. As I held the plate towards her, her eyebrows winged up and she took the plate. I was so happy and excited.
Back in my place, I did a “happy dance”, because I had dared to be kind even though I hadn’t been sure my kindness would be welcome. I do hope that our relationship will slowly get better. I know I was and still am biased (存有偏见) towards her at times, but even if we don’t make amends, I want to be able to be kind without depending on other people’s behaviors and reactions

1. 1.

   The neighbor hardly greeted the writer most probably because______.

   1. A.
      the writer’s cats disturb her neighbor frequently
   2. B.
      the writer didn’t thank her for calling the firefighters
   3. C.
      the writer never apologized to her for her misbehaviors
   4. D.
      the writer had an unpleasant experience with the neighbor long ago
2. 2.

   The underlined word “grudge” in Paragraph 3 most probably means______.

   1. A.
      appreciation
   2. B.
      gratitude
   3. C.
      dislike
   4. D.
      envy
3. 3.

   From Paragraph 4, we can learn that the writer______.

   1. A.
      was afraid of being rejected again by her neighbor
   2. B.
      didn’t know how to get along with her neighbor
   3. C.
      didn’t admit it was her fault in the last incident
   4. D.
      refused to forgive her neighbor’s rude behavior
4. 4.

   What does the author try to tell us?

   1. A.
      Don’t punish yourself because of others’ mistakes
   2. B.
      We should be kind to others, regardless of their behavior
   3. C.
      We must keep a good relationship with our neighbors
   4. D.
      When we make a mistake, we should have the courage to admit it

My son loves video games very much. He spends hours every day playing video games in his room. Is there any redeeming（补偿的）educational value to video games? Some seem like they could help him learn strategy. But I worry others may be too violent or numb（使麻木）his mind.
Cecilia
Some games may improve kids’ hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills. Games that require kids to actually move or manipulate（操纵）the game through their own physical movement can even get sedentary kids moving, though not as much as they could if they actually played outside or participated in sports or other outdoor acuities. Others, though, don’t have such benefits, and violent video games have been shown that they might increase kid’s aggressive behavior.
Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is actually self-control.
The American academy of Pediatrics(AAP) recommends that kids should spend no more than 2 hours each day on screen time, including watching TV or movies, or playing computer or video games. So consider setting limits at least that strict to keep game playing from affecting their schoolwork, household responsibilities, and the physical activity your son needs very day.
Make sure that he’s playing games which are suitable for his age group. All video games are rated and labeled by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Steer clear of（避开）any rated “M” for mature. Those are for ages 17 and older and can contain heavy-duty violence, strong language, and sexual content.
Try to keep the video game console（游戏机控制板）in a common area of the house, not your son’s room. That way you can catch any inappropriate content in the games he’s playing, and he’ll be in a position to interact with others in the house while he’s playing.
Make sure your son has appealing alternatives, too, such as sports, activities, opportunities to socialize with peers; and downtime to be creative. If you continue to have concerns about his video game activity, talk with your doctor.
Reviewed by：Mary L. Gavin, MD
【小题1】What is the opinion of Mary L. Gavin about playing video games?

My son loves video games very much. He spends hours every day playing video games in his room. Is there any redeeming（补偿的）educational value to video games? Some seem like they could help him learn strategy. But I worry others may be too violent or numb（使麻木）his mind.

Cecilia

Some games may improve kids’ hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills. Games that require kids to actually move or manipulate（操纵）the game through their own physical movement can even get sedentary kids moving, though not as much as they could if they actually played outside or participated in sports or other outdoor acuities. Others, though, don’t have such benefits, and violent video games have been shown that they might increase kid’s aggressive behavior.

Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is actually self-control.

The American academy of Pediatrics(AAP) recommends that kids should spend no more than 2 hours each day on screen time, including watching TV or movies, or playing computer or video games. So consider setting limits at least that strict to keep game playing from affecting their schoolwork, household responsibilities, and the physical activity your son needs very day.

Make sure that he’s playing games which are suitable for his age group. All video games are rated and labeled by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Steer clear of（避开）any rated “M” for mature. Those are for ages 17 and older and can contain heavy-duty violence, strong language, and sexual content.

Try to keep the video game console（游戏机控制板）in a common area of the house, not your son’s room. That way you can catch any inappropriate content in the games he’s playing, and he’ll be in a position to interact with others in the house while he’s playing.

Make sure your son has appealing alternatives, too, such as sports, activities, opportunities to socialize with peers; and downtime to be creative. If you continue to have concerns about his video game activity, talk with your doctor.

Reviewed by：Mary L. Gavin, MD

1.What is the opinion of Mary L. Gavin about playing video games?

A．Whether it’s beneficial or harmful depends on what the video games are.

B．It always improves kids’ hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills.

C．It will make kids more violent and increase their aggressive behavior.

D．Kids should give it up and put their hearts fully into their schoolwork.

2.The underlined word “sedentary” in the first paragraph of the answer letter is the nearest in meaning to “______”.

A．unhealthy         B．lively             C．bright            D．inactive

3.According to Mary L. Gavin, which of the following is encouraged to do by parents?

A．Keep the video game console out of their house.

B．Allow their children to play only such video games as rated “M”

C．Let kids play video games as much as possible if it doesn’t affect their lessons.

D．Help their children develop other healthy hobbies such as sports and painting.

4.Which is the best title of this passage?

A．Should children play video games?

B．Kids’ playing video games is harmful.

C．Is playing video games good for kids?

D．Help children choose video games.

My son loves video games very much. He spends hours every day playing video games in his room. Is there any redeeming（补偿的）educational value to video games? Some seem like they could help him learn strategy. But I worry others may be too violent or numb（使麻木）his mind.
Cecilia
Some games may improve kids’ hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills. Games that require kids to actually move or manipulate（操纵）the game through their own physical movement can even get sedentary kids moving, though not as much as they could if they actually played outside or participated in sports or other outdoor acuities. Others, though, don’t have such benefits, and violent video games have been shown that they might increase kid’s aggressive behavior.
Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is actually self-control.
The American academy of Pediatrics(AAP) recommends that kids should spend no more than 2 hours each day on screen time, including watching TV or movies, or playing computer or video games. So consider setting limits at least that strict to keep game playing from affecting their schoolwork, household responsibilities, and the physical activity your son needs very day.
Make sure that he’s playing games which are suitable for his age group. All video games are rated and labeled by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Steer clear of（避开）any rated “M” for mature. Those are for ages 17 and older and can contain heavy-duty violence, strong language, and sexual content.
Try to keep the video game console（游戏机控制板）in a common area of the house, not your son’s room. That way you can catch any inappropriate content in the games he’s playing, and he’ll be in a position to interact with others in the house while he’s playing.
Make sure your son has appealing alternatives, too, such as sports, activities, opportunities to socialize with peers; and downtime to be creative. If you continue to have concerns about his video game activity, talk with your doctor.
Reviewed by：Mary L. Gavin, MD

1. 1.

   What is the opinion of Mary L. Gavin about playing video games?

   1. A.
      Whether it’s beneficial or harmful depends on what the video games are
   2. B.
      It always improves kids’ hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills
   3. C.
      It will make kids more violent and increase their aggressive behavior
   4. D.
      Kids should give it up and put their hearts fully into their schoolwork
2. 2.

   The underlined word “sedentary” in the first paragraph of the answer letter is the nearest in meaning to “______”

   1. A.
      unhealthy
   2. B.
      lively
   3. C.
      bright
   4. D.
      inactive
3. 3.

   According to Mary L. Gavin, which of the following is encouraged to do by parents?

   1. A.
      Keep the video game console out of their house
   2. B.
      Allow their children to play only such video games as rated “M”
   3. C.
      Let kids play video games as much as possible if it doesn’t affect their lessons
   4. D.
      Help their children develop other healthy hobbies such as sports and painting
4. 4.

   Which is the best title of this passage?

   1. A.
      Should children play video games?
   2. B.
      Kids’ playing video games is harmful
   3. C.
      Is playing video games good for kids?
   4. D.
      Help children choose video games

Ceaseless technology. A punishing workweek. That to –do list that keeps multiplying. It is no wonder many of us find it difficult to have a sufficient amount of sleep. But will sleeping more on the weekend make up for hours of lost snoozing (小睡)? One sleep expert, W. Christopher Winter raised the question.
Sleeping binge
Getting eight hours of shut-eye each night is generally recommended, but many people don’t. As the week rolls from Monday to Friday, they accumulate a sleep debt. Spending a few extra hours in bed on a Saturday morning, people assume, will help them “ catch up” on lost sleep. They’re likely right, “ Nobody knows how long the horizon is, probably a few nights, but studies show that recovery sleep in the short term does work,” says Dr. Winter, a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Sleep banking
Recent data suggests that banking sleep in advance of a long night can actually offset (补偿) upcoming sleep deprivation(丧失). If you knew you were going to have to stay up all night on a particular day, for example, you could sleep for 10 hours a day for multiple days before the event, and be fine, Dr. Winter says. Just plan ahead.
Routine (惯例的)naps
A scheduled nap is healthier than catching up on or banking sleep. “ Because sleep extension can make you feel groggy (昏昏沉沉), I always recommend a short nap [if a person feels they need it ], at the same time, every day,” says Dr. Winter. He adds that 25 minutes is ideal. “ When you schedule a short nap, your body anticipates it and slows down, without falling into a deep dream sleep,” he says. That refreshing, scheduled break is better than an occasional weekend lie-in. “ The body likes routine,” he says, “ When it’s prepared, it works more efficiently.”

1. 1.

   From Monday to Friday, many people _________

   1. A.
      accumulate a sleep debt
   2. B.
      have no time to sleep
   3. C.
      work hard to achieve their goals
   4. D.
      have to stay up all nights
2. 2.

   Research shows that in the short term________

   1. A.
      a nap have no effect on work
   2. B.
      a nap have effect on work
   3. C.
      recovery sleep does work
   4. D.
      recovery sleep doesn’t work
3. 3.

   If a soccer fan wants to stay up all night to watch two World Cup semi-finals, it may help if ________

   1. A.
      he keeps taking a nap for a week
   2. B.
      he sleeps for 8 hours a day for days
   3. C.
      he keeps sleeping for 2 days
   4. D.
      he banks sleep in advance
4. 4.

   What is better than banking sleep, according to Dr. Winter?

   1. A.
      Sleeping binge
   2. B.
      Recovery sleep
   3. C.
      Scheduled naps
   4. D.
      Sleep extension
5. 5.

   What would be the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      Sleep Matters
   2. B.
      Disadvantage of Sleeping Binge
   3. C.
      Advantage of Routine Naps
   4. D.
      How to Sleep Well