With the popularity of Harry Potter novels, the number of children applying to boarding schools has risen, many of them hoping to find their own version of Hogwarts. However, others have interpreted this trend as a reaction to longer working hours and the break up of more marriages. The boarding schools of fiction are presented as one long midnight feast with pillow fights making firm friendships. However, some people say the reality is children having more homesickness and a lack of individual attention. Modern boarding schools have done much to get rid of the image of the mass dormitories with 40 or more beds in one room, some going as far as providing private rooms with bathrooms. Similarly, they make great announcements for their academic advantage, particularly in light of the increase in exams, homework and university entrance requirements facing children wishing to succeed in the modern world.
Alongside these more conventional schools, two types of boarding schools have also become more popular recently. Sports academies and stage schools seek to cater for children with particular interests and talents, while so-called troubled-teens have been able to turn to a range of religious or wilderness schools to solve their problematic behavior.
Boarding schools allow children a safe space in which to accomplish greater control and independence over their daily lives. Teachers and staff can look after and support but they are unlikely to be over-protective. This can be a great preparation for university or for working away from home in later life as it provides an intermediate step between childhood and full independence.
However, Parents are a child’s most natural support and best role models to learn from. If they are separated from them for long periods of time, this may damage their relationship and leave the child feeling anxious or alone. Schools are unlikely to be able to copy the detailed knowledge of each individual child that a parent has and therefore cannot be as effective in supporting the child.
To sum up, boarding schools have both their advantages and disadvantages, so it is up to you to decide whether to send your children to boarding schools or not.
【小题1】. What do we know from the passage?

A group of teenagers: they laugh and talk over each other, dance and make faces — you wouldn’t believe they had just played on the same stage as famous American singers Kid Cudi and Eminem.
These seven kids, all under the age of 20, are members of the band Kids These Days (KTD).
Fresh out of high school, the band already has done things that most teens couldn’t even imagine. They played at festivals including the recent SXSW in Austin and Lollapalooza in their hometown, Chicago, to crowds of loyal fans.
KTD uses a mix of hip-hop, jazz, blues and classic rock to make a sound of their own.
“KTD simply mixes most, if not all of my favourite music styles,” said Kamia Jones, as Chicago high school student.“I like that they aren’t afraid to be different and that their music is real and speaks to the soul.”
The band formed two years ago. Now, as well as local fans, they are becoming popular around the world. Their facebook page is filled with supportive posts from admirers from California to Tokyo.
“It’s really strange to me that people from London, Australia and Russia... They have heard
of us and they like our music because it’s really cool feeling,” says Marcie Stewart, who plays keyboard for the band.
Despite their recent fame, KTD is a group of normal teenagers and they remain very close to one another. While talking to the reporters, they dance and make fun of each other.
When asked what advice they would give to other teen musicians, Greg Landfair, KTD’s drummer, said, “Keep your heart in it. Never lose the music and what you are doing, because that’s what you’re here for. Let the music always be first.”
【小题1】KTD’s music is popular among teenagers mainly because ________.

根据短文的内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

If you think you’ve gained too much weight or are too skinny, you can talk to a doctor. Your doctor will tell you 1. ______________.

If it is concerned about your height, weight, or BMI (体重指数), your doctor may ask questions 2. ______________. Your doctor may also ask about your family background to find out if you’ve received something from your parents that might make you taller, shorter, or a late bloomer (someone who develops later than other people of the same age). The doctor can then put all the information together to decide 3. _____________.

If your weight isn’t in a healthy range, you will probably get specific diet and exercise recommendations based on your individual needs. Following a doctor’s or dietitian’s plan designed especially for you will work much better than following fad (时尚) diets. For teens, fad diets or starvation plans can actually slow down growth, and the weight loss usually doesn’t last.

What 4. ______________? Most teens who weigh less than other teens of their age are just fine. They may be going through puberty on a different schedule than kids of the same age, and their bodies may be growing and changing at a different rate. Most underweight teens catch up in weight as they finish puberty during their later teen years so there’s rarely a need to try to gain weight.

In a few cases, teenagers can be underweight because of a health problem that needs treatment. If you feel tired or ill a lot, or 5. ____________, or other problems that have lasted for more than a week or two, be sure to let your parents or your doctor know.

A．whether you might have a weight or growth problem.

B．if you have symptoms like a cough, stomachache

C．about your health, physical activity, and eating habits

D．if you’re worried about being too skinny

E. if you take care of it

F. whether you’re growing normally

G. about your dieting

The American book Who Moved My Cheese has bee a bestseller all over the world. It teaches people how to face changes in their lives. Now its author Spence Johnson has written a book just for teens. The book tells us that when facing change in our lives, like a new school or new friends, don't be afraid. Instead, use this change to make a better life. The book gives an example of a change at school. A school is changing from having two terms to three terms because there are too many students.
Several teens are talking about this. Most of them are unhappy and worried. But Chris is not. He laughs and tells a story about two mice, two “little people” and some cheese.
The four are in amaze looking for the cheese. Here, cheese means something important in life, like moving to a new class or getting into college. But they find the cheese is gone. The mice realize that they can’t change what has happened and have to find more cheese. This means finding different dreams. The little people, however, can’t do this. They are afraid of change so they find no cheese
After Chris finishes the story, the friends understand one thing: to get more cheese, move in a new direction quickly. His friends understand how this can be used in the changes all teens face, such as doing well at school or having good relationships or just feeling good about yourself.
【小题1】The book Who Moved My Cheese is __________.

I’m fat. I’m too skinny. I’d be happy if I were taller, shorter, had curly hair, straight hair, a smaller nose, bigger muscles, longer legs. Do any of these statements sound familiar? Do you often put yourself down? If so, you’re not alone. As a teen, you’re going through a ton of changes in your body. And as your body changes, so does your image (形象) of yourself. Lots of people have trouble getting used to it and this can affect their confidence.

Some people think they need to change how they look or act to feel good about themselves. But actually all you need to do is change the way you see your body and how you think about yourself.

The first thing to do is recognize that your body is your own, no matter what shape, size, or color it comes in. If you’re very worried about your weight or size, go to your doctor to check that things are OK. But it’s no one’s business but your own what your body is like—finally, you have to be happy with yourself.

Next, find which aspects (方面) of your appearance you can change and which you can’t change and need to accept—like their height, for example, or their shoe size.

If there are things about yourself that you want to change and can do this by making goals for yourself. For example, if you want to get fit, make a pan to exercise every day and eat nutritious foods.

When you hear negative comments coming from within yourself, tell yourself to stop. Try building your confidence by listing three things in your day that really gave you pleasure. It can be anything like the way the sun felt on your face, the sound of your favorite band, or the way someone laughed at your jokes.

1.From the first paragraph, we can infer that           .

A. many teens can’t accept their body change easily

B. most teens like to have a special body image

C. teens prefer to change their body image quickly

D. teens usually change their opinions on their body image

2.Which of the following does the author probably agree with?

A. Change the way other people look at you.

B. Go to your doctor for advice on how to change your body.

C. Realize you can’t change everything about yourself.

D.源Learn from some celebrities on how to change your body.

3.The underlined phrase “put yourself down” in the first paragraph probably means          .

A. make yourself fall down          B. say negative things about yourself

C. force yourself to do something       D. write down your name somewhere

4.The passage is mainly about           .

A. how to adjust to the changes of your body       

B. how to build confidence by changing your body

C. how to keep an attractive body image

D. how to find pleasure in your day